T h u r s d a y, j a n u a r y 2 8 , 2 0 1 6 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | v o l . 4 6 i s s u e 1 9
DOSO reveals spike in sexual assault reports by armon siadat amsiadat@eagles.usi.edu Laurie Berry believes more sexual assaults occurred in 2013 than the three reported in the 2014 Clery Report. “That is a very small number,” she said.
The assistant dean of students’ remarks on USI’s sexual assault statistics came after a DOSOsponsored screening of “The Hunting Ground” at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Mitchell Auditorium. Following the screening, a discussion panel moderated by Stephanie Young, assistant professor of communication studies, reflected on the film
and fielded questions from the audience. Panelist Alix MacDonald, a victim support specialist with the Albion Fellows Bacon Center, said one reason USI’s Clery Report numbers are so low over recent years isn’t because the assaults aren’t happening, but because they aren’t being reported by students.
AssaulT reports, PAGE 3
THE
by Nick leighty ndlieghty@eagles.usi.edu
SHIELD
Photo by alyssa smith | The Shield
Sophomore art major Theanoe Christos bundles up as she walks to class from the campus apartments Monday morning. The university was closed Friday because of weather conditions.
SNOW BIG DEAL
Inclement weather poses problems for students, faculty by gabi wy news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi When snow hits, Tom and Andrea Drury face a dilemma. Tom, a performing arts instructor, works at the university with his wife, an adjunct in the same department. Tom and Andrea have two sons who need supervision: a nine-year-
old named David and a six-year-old named Samuel. While the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation canceled school Jan. 20 and 22, USI only canceled the latter. “Between the two of us, (Andrea and I) have to decide who’s going to stay home with the kids,” Drury said. He said they discuss their current course material and which of them
has a greater need to hold class. Drury’s supervisor gave him permission to bring Daniel and Samuel to choir rehearsals. “Bringing them to rehearsals like jazz band, they’d probably get a kick out of that,” he said. “They probably wouldn’t get a kick out of my theory quizzes.” Even though the boys have portable video game systems to occupy
Stoneking named Lifelong Learning director
themselves, Drury said he wouldn’t want to lock them away in his office during work. Drury’s wife just began work in higher education after 10 years in the public education system, so the situation is new to all of them. Although snowy days can complicate his work and family, Drury said it’s not an issue the university specifically needs to address.
Dawn Stoneking’s career has been one surrounded by social work. The university named Stoneking the director of Lifelong Learning Jan. 5. Lifelong Learning, a collection of various programs for both career skills and leisure, starts as early as Pre-K and continues through 12th grade all the way to postgraduation. It even includes post-retirement. Activities include leisure and recreation, the arts, music and skill development. “Lifelong Learning is pretty broad in terms of educating a whole person,” Stoneking said. Outside corporations often partner with Lifelong Learning for specialized training that may be needed for employees. If a specific skill is necessary for a certain environment, faculty from both the university and corporation may be brought in for training. Most programs offered are open enrollment unless it is partnered with a business to train underneath its business umbrella. Outreach and Engagement also offers a bachelor of professional studies program. This degree has been offered for nearly 20 years and targets adult students who may be returning to school to receive their degrees. “We try to meet the needs of what our constituents want,” said Mark Bernhard, associate provost for Outreach and Engagement. The Lifelong Learning program has been around since 1974 and has since expanded to include many other fields. “It is a piece within our entire division of Outreach and Engagement along with opportunity development, community engagement and, to an extent, distance learning,” Bernhard said. “It is definitely our biggest area in terms of programs offered.” Bernhard said he was looking for someone with broadbased experience in continuing professional education and distance education. He also sought a strategic thinker with a good understanding of daily operations due to the size of the Outreach and En-
Stoneking, PAGE 3
snow days, PAGE 3
Griffin Center sculpture approved
Guided by the green Golfer heads to USI Hall of Fame by Sarah Loesch sports@usishield.com @ShieldsterSarah
The summer before eighth grade, Brian M e r rill’s grandfather Merrill g a v e him a golf club. He had his mind set at a young age that baseball was the sport for him, but after he picked up the club he knew he was in love. “I literally stuck a shovel in the ground, aimed at the shovel and started hitting it,” Merrill said. “I got hooked.” From then on a majority of the big moments in Merrill’s life came from the golf course. He will enter the 2016 USI Athletic Hall of Fame
as a result of some of those moments. Merrill played golf for the university between 1992-96 while working toward a degree in education. During those years, he was four-time All-GLVC and helped the team reach its first and only NCAA Division II National Championship. Despite his success, Merrill said during his playing career he never imagined he would be inducted into the hall of fame. “When you’re there, you’re living in the moment,” Merrill said. “At least for me, I never thought about 10 to 20 years down the road.” Merrill said one of his most memorable accomplishments was the team moving on to the Division II championship. Merrill said he tried to focus on doing the best he could, so it was a shock for
him to learn about his induction. The two-time All-District and two-time Academic AllAmerican was in the middle of a game of phone tag with Athletic Director Jon Mark Hall when his father-in-law broke the news. Merrill said he woke up to a congratulations text and didn’t know what it was about. He continued to receive texts and eventually googled it. Hall said one of the best parts of his job is being able to tell athletes they are inductees into the hall of fame, and Merrill ended up sending him an email basically saying, “I know what you’re calling me about.” Hall said Merrill was a player who stood out above the rest. “He was a key catalyst of some really great men’s golf teams we had,” he said.
MERRILL, PAGE 7
Photo courtesy of joan dejong
This design illustrates Joan Kempf deJong and John McNaughton’s proposed sculpture for the Griffin Center, titled “Bent Twig.”
by CARA MEEKS cdmeeks@eagles.usi.edu Liberal Arts Assistant Dean Joan Kempf deJong and John McNaughton, professor emeritus of art, had fun creating twists and turns for USI’s campus. The Art Collection Committee approved the two art professors’ proposal to build a sculpture titled “Bent Twig” in front of the Griffin Center, the conference center under construction across Reflection Lake. deJong and McNaughton submitted “Bent Twig,”
which originates from the university road of the same name, as a proposal to the art committee as part of a contest. The sculpture, which will be built in front of the center, consists of branches, leaves and twigs, and McNaughton said the shape reflects both the present and future of the university. “I wanted to capture campus, but every artist wants to reflect what’s inside of them,” McNaughton said. “I’m proud of this university and the time that I’ve spent here.” The committee set specific guidelines for the selected
sculpture. “(The judges) wanted the sculpture to reflect the positive nature of the university,” McNaughton said. “They wanted it to be large, but not too large. We were very sympathetic to the look of the building, how people will view it from the parking lot, maintenance of it and the safety of it.” Contestants needed to be either past or current students or faculty to enter. deJong and McNaughton decided to enter two different proposals, which they submitted anonymously.
Griffin Center ARt, PAGE 3
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