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SHIELD
T h u r s d a y, F e b r u a r y 1 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 2 2
YAKKERS ANONYMOUS
Bennett says anonymity promotes uncivil behavior
Illustration by philip kuhns | The Shield
by gabi wy news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi President Linda Bennett announced at the beginning of the semester that the university will focus on the concept of “civility.” Bennett said this focus promotes healthy discussion despite critical differences in opinion, beliefs and culture. Over the next few weeks, The Shield will explore different aspects of civility and how they impact the campus environment. The first time McKenzie Cobb used Yik Yak, she saw a post that called the dance team “fat.” Cobb, a freshman history major, opened her dance team group message several weeks ago to find a screenshot of a Yak post. At the time, Cobb didn’t have the anonymous message board app downloaded on her phone and she never felt compelled to add it. The post she found in her messages degraded the girls’ body shapes as well as their dancing abilities. While campus administration pushes for civility, students continue to take to the app to hurl insults at groups such as Cobb’s. The dance team took the Yak as a challenge to work harder, but Cobb said the demeaning comments were still painful. “That’s my team. Those are my girls,” Cobb said. “It just hurts when you put so much effort
into something.” Yik Yak posters not only attacked Cobb’s dance team, but also her sorority. Within one hour of anonymous posts Tuesday, seven of them insulted Greek life on campus. Several posts later defended fraternities and sororities, but the negative posts outweighed the positive. Presidential monitoring Bennett scrolls through Yik Yak every so often on her newly repaired Android, absorbing the same posts students do when they open the app. “Oh, I check in from time to time,” Bennett said. “I think at times it’s very crude.” Bennett witnesses vulgar exchanges on Yik Yak, but she said civility isn’t just about being nice. “We ought to be able to talk about things, and at times we have to acknowledge that we have deep differences, profound differences,” she said. “That doesn’t keep us from having mutual respect.” Bennett said students need to step up and not be afraid to state what they believe. “When I think about the way social media is used, at times with great harshness and great cruelty, we need to develop the courage to speak up,” she said. “If we hear a statement that is demeaning, speak up. Say, ‘I disagree with
that, and here’s why.’” She said Yik Yak’s structure allows for more rudeness than students would be willing to convey in person. “Any time you have anonymity, you have irresponsibility,” Bennett said. “Some of the communication on (Yik Yak) is just inappropriate. Sometimes, though, I check (Yik Yak) to get sort of a temper of what’s going on on campus.” University of Houston assistant professor Arthur D. Santana released a study in 2014 titled “Virtuous or Vitriolic,” in which he found a link between uncivil comments and anonymity. In the comments of online news stories, Santana found 53.3 percent of anonymous comments included language that was vulgar, racist, profane or hateful, according to the study. Only 28.7 percent of non-anonymous comments were found to have the hateful language. Dean of Students Bryan Rush, on the other hand, does not check Yik Yak and said he doesn’t intend to ever download the app. He said he chooses not to have the app on his phone because he doesn’t like to see students insulting one another or using vulgar language. Rush views the app as primarily dominated by that cruelty. “Students need to do things to build people up, not tear them down,” Rush said. “It’s being civil.”
Mandela speaker talks racism by abigail suddarth acsuddarth@eagles.usi.edu
When Tim Wise’s 5-yearold daughter asked if Morgan Freeman was really God after seeing a trailer for “Evan Almighty,” he told her he was just an actor who plays God often. Her sister replied, “That can’t be God.” Even though he knew what she was going to say, Wise asked his daughter why she said it. “That can’t be God because God isn’t black,” she said. “God is white.” Tim Wise spoke about racism in America Thursday at the Nelson Mandela Commemoration Day in Carter Hall. Wise said the four things that make discussing racism difficult are people’s assumptions they themselves aren’t racist, the fact that people can see individual instances of racism but not systemic racism, people fail to see how the past affects the present and racial inequality not only hurts people of color but white people as well. Wise said many white people try to find reasons why they couldn’t possibly be racist, such as having black friends. He referenced a poll taken a few years ago which stated (75 percent) of white Americans said they had many friends of color. There were only 35 million black Americans at the time. Even if none of the white people polled lied or exaggerated, Wise said, that’s not a worthwhile argument against being racially biased. “Do you think that a guy can’t be sexist because he dates women?” he asked. Wise received a D- in reading in 1979 because his fifth grade teacher didn’t like that he had black friends, he said. “(The teacher) told my mom that any white parent that allowed their child to go to a public school in this day and age, meaning the integrated day and age, clearly wasn’t fit to be a parent and should have their head checked,” he said. His mother swiftly relieved this woman of her teaching duties in about six hours by making sure she was immediately fired, Wise said.
wise, PAGE 4
YIk Yak, PAGE 3
Schoenstein steps Event to educate entrepreneurs up, takes charge by Nick Leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu
Photo Courtesy of Athletics Department
Eric Schoenstein, the newly appointed head coach of women’s soccer, talks to players last year during a game. Schoenstein spent two years as assistant coach before he was hired to replace former head coach Krissy Engelbrecht.
by caitlin golden crgolden@eagles.usi.edu This year, Eric Schoenstein landed his “dream job.” Schoenstein, who started coaching 30 years ago, will take over as head coach of the women’s soccer team for the upcoming fall season. He grew up playing soccer and when he moved to Evansville he played for Mater Dei High School. He went on to play for USI from 1988-1991, where he won four GLVC Championships and served as captain
his senior year. “(The experience) was very beneficial as a captain back in the early 90s. You were leading your peers,” Schoenstein said. “That was the base of learning leadership that I have taken with me in the coaching aspect, and now when I push players, I do it in a way to build confidence.” Schoenstein is familiar with some of the players because he was assistant coach and knows what the team needs to strengthen for the next season.
Schoenstein, PAGE 7
Fifty-four hours. That is all the time given to come up with an entire business plan and model proficient enough to move forward. A team containing a wide array of skills and entrepreneurial mentors dedicated to helping participants make the task possible. This is the goal of Startup Weekend Evansville. Benjamin Peyronnin attended the first Startup Weekend five years ago and plans to attend this year’s from Friday to Sunday. The senior’s father organizes the local Tech on Tap, and thanks to his father’s work, Peyronnin was able to realize the value of innovation leadership and entrepreneurship goals. Peyronnin left Evansville in 2006 for Seattle, thinking his hometown was a dead end professionally. When the 27-year-old returned in 2012, he noticed a shift from greasy, unhealthy food-chains to more healthy and organic options and new innovations in the Evansville community. While Peyronnin does not have an idea to pitch to the panel of judges, he said
Photo Courtesy of Bryan bourdeau
The judges at Startup Weekend Evansville 2015 ask questions about a participant’s idea during the Friday round. At this stage each year, 10 participants are selected to move on to the final stages.
Startup Weekend means so much more. He attributes the explosion of development and innovation that has happened in Evansville to this event. Peyronnin was set on continuing his college career and applied to many of the top business schools in the country, such as Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Seattle Uni-
versity and the University of Washington. The school’s treated him as nothing more than a number. Peyronnin ended up calling USI on a whim. He said he used to believe people only went to the university if they didn’t get into Indiana University or Purdue. This perception quickly changed thanks to Tim Mahoney. Af-
ter the first conversation they had, he said Mahoney was the first person in higher education to treat him as a peer. Registration and beginning pitches kick off Friday. Out of more than 80 pitches given, 10 students will be selected to move on to complete their business plan, prototyping and final presentation by Sunday.
startup weekend, PAGE 3
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The shield | February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com
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News
The shield | February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com
C-Store worker requests SGA’s help
Startup weekend continued from Page 1 Those whose ideas were not selected can team up with those who were chosen to help them complete their goal. Several entrepreneurial community members will attend the event to provide guidance to teams. Solomon CFO Solutions President Doug Wurmnest, Evansville Senior Corps of Retired Executives Chair Elect Steve Doyle and intellectual property attorney Rick Martin are just a few of the professionals offering assistance. “It’s non-agenda and nonpolitical. It’s kind of the sandbox where all these other (isolated) entities can come and play because we’re all in this together. The model allows for this organically-developing environment,” said entrepreneurship minor codeveloper Bryan Bourdeau. The Evansville chapter of
by gabi wy news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi Carissa Johnson can’t go to bed before midnight, even if she wants to. As a student worker at the C-Store, the junior health administration major wishes the store would close earlier for student workers, but she said she’s gotten so used to the late night schedule that she physically can’t fall asleep before midnight. Fellow C-Store worker Rebecca Jennings reached out to Student Government Association for support in closing the store 30 minutes earlier than it does now. SGA discussed the issue briefly without making any decisions at its meeting Feb. 11. It’s Johnson’s sixth semester working for the CStore, and she said she’s stayed because the aboveminimum wage pay is good. “I’ve seen tons of people come and go in terms of working for the C-Store,” Johnson said. “It can’t keep employees partly because of the hours. Nobody wants to work that late.” She said she feels strongly about the issue and wrote a paper about it for her technical writing class. “I know Cyclone Salads, Burger King and Subconnection have a rotation where some will close at 9 p.m. and the others later,” Johnson said. “In my paper, I suggested the C-Store be part of
that rotation.” She said she never brought it up to management because she wasn’t sure if her input would matter. Jennings said she hoped to be able to present the issue to Sodexo more powerfully if she had the backing of student government. The sophomore nursing major suggested the C-Store close at 11 p.m. rather than 11:30 p.m. Sunday through Thursday. Jennings’ classes typically end at 1 p.m., and two or three hours later, she clocks in at the C-Store. She works 8 to 9 hours, and even though the C-Store closes at 11:30 p.m., she and the other employees have to spend an extra hour working. Jennings gets back to her on-campus apartment by 12:30 a.m. After taking a shower, she gets about 5.5 to 6 hours of sleep before her 8 a.m. classes. While Jennings said she can function on that amount of sleep, she sees other workers struggle with a lack of rest. Jennings said 30 minutes may be little, but she thinks it could make a great difference for working students. “It would (give) time for students who have to get up early for the next day,” she said. “It would be beneficial, and it wouldn’t be like we’re closing super early, just a half-hour.” Jennings said she talked to her boss and clarified she loves her job and wasn’t attacking the C-Store.
“I just want a support system from SGA,” she said. “If I’m just a student worker to Sodexo, they’d probably just write me off. If I could get SGA’s guidance, it might mean more.” Aaron Gottman, administrative vice president for university affairs, read the entirety of Jennings’ e-mail at the last SGA meeting. “I think this is important and ties into what we’re trying to do in SGA,” Gottman said. “From my personal knowledge, I don’t know about a student e-mailing me about such a specific issue.” Financial Officer Aaron McCullough said changing the C-Store hours would possibly set a complicated “precedent” in policy and force other parts of campus with student workers to close down earlier as well. “If it’s an issue of working too late, (Jennings) needs to take it upon herself to set up her availability with work hours if it’s directly affecting her studying,” Chief Justice Jason Miner said. “There are other employment opportunities on campus that she could look to work at.” Liberal Arts representative Natasha Awbrey said pushing for 30 minutes is not a substantial request. “I work at the C-Store on weekends, and we’re usually out of there before we need to be out of there,” she said. After five minutes, the general assembly voted to close discussion on the issue. Gottman told The Shield Tuesday that he hadn’t got-
ten a chance to reply to Jennings’ e-mail. He said he talked to Sodexo about the feasibility of closing the C-Store earlier, but Gottman doesn’t want to push for a change without more support. “It’s not a big enough demographic to say a time change is required,” he said. “In the e-mail, there was nothing brought up about other workers.” After bringing up the issue to the general assembly, Gottman said, “it went as expected.” “It’s my job as a student representative to help out the student population as best I can,” he said. “I’ll tell (Jennings) it was SGA’s opinion that maybe we can’t pursue this until you get more information from other students.” Gottman said a 30 minute difference in closing time isn’t too much to ask of administration to change if there is enough evidence to support student need. “This issue is bigger than something SGA can handle,” Gottman said. “It needs to be discussed with management and coworkers.” He said he encourages Jennings to still reach out to him if she has more concerns. “If you need my assistance, we can set up a round table in a more formal setting, either through Food Services or a student meeting led by me,” Gottman said. “I just don’t want to take steps further until we know there’s a need.”
Fire - False Alarm Ceramics Studio 2/8/16 p.m.
12:35
Battery - Simple Assault Campus Housing 2/8/16 7:00 p.m. Residential Entry Campus Housing 2/8/16 p.m. Illness Report On Campus 2/9/16
7:00
1:44 a.m.
Drug Offenses: Drugs - Possession 984 Varsity Drive - Willard Building 2/9/16 2:20 p.m Drugs Offenses: Drugs - Manufacture/Possession of Paraphernalia 984 Varsity Drive - Willard Building 2/9/16 2:20 p.m.
Code of Conduct - Violation of Law 984 Varsity Drive - Willard Building 2/9/16 2:20 p.m. Alcohol Offenses: Alcohol - Underage Possession 984 Varsity Drive - Willard Building 2/9/16 2:20 p.m. Welfare Check On Campus 2/9/16 p.m.
11:00
Code of Conduct - Parking Violation Parking Lot F 2/11/16 11:45 a.m. Traffic Accident Public Property 2/11/16 5:50 p.m. Injury Report Public Property 2/11/16 5:50 p.m. Code of Conduct - Alcohol Violation 806A McDonald Lane - Branch Building 2/12/16 12:26 a.m.
Illness Report On Campus - Liberal Arts Center 2/10/16 10:54 a.m.
Injury Report Technology Center 2/13/16 2:05 p.m.
Theft On Campus 2/10/16 4:28 p.m.
Residential Entry 7904A Mahrenholz Rd. - Leslie Building 2/14/16 10:59 a.m.
Injury Report Physical Activities Center 2/10/16 9:51 p.m. Criminal Recklessness Parking Lot F 2/11/16 11:45 a.m.
Criminal Mischief 7904A Mahrenholz Rd. - Leslie Building 2/14/16 10:59 a.m.
Information gathered from USIʼs Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.
What: When: Where: Cost:
yik yak
Startup Weekend Evansville 5:30 p.m. Feb. 19-21 Business and Engineering Center Students - $25, Community - $45
continued from Page 1
From what Rush has heard, many Yaks turn into bullying, but he said that’s nothing new among students. “It’s the ‘bathroom wall’ mentality,” Rush said. “It was the same 30 years ago when people would walk into the bathroom and write (negative) things on the wall. Those things are now sent right to them.” He said his office would intervene if there was a threat to campus, self or others, but Rush only knows of potentially dangerous Yaks if a student reports it to him. ‘Depends on how I’m yakking’ As former Yik Yak employee Kamerin Greer scrolled through the app Monday, nothing jumped out at him as “negative.” “There’s stuff about the weather and February or Valentine’s (Day),” the junior radio and television major said. “Sometimes the posts are really good, and sometimes it gets really weird.” Greer said he’s seen crude exchanges between Yik Yak posters, but he acknowledges when students do act courteously on the app. “Some of the positive things I’ve seen are people asking for help with their life or in general,” he said. “I’ve seen people say stuff about (how) their life sucks and
other people say nice things.” When he sees tension among Yakkers, Greer usually makes a move. “I comment on other people’s Yaks and try to mediate things and see what’s going on,” he said. “If it’s really bad, I’ll downvote it. It depends on the day. It depends on how I’m yakking.” Greer was a Yik Yak campus representative last semester, which entails handing out free merchandise and making the student body aware of how the anonymous app works. According to the app’s website, two students named Tyler and Brooks founded Yik Yak on their college campus as “a way for people to instantly connect with everyone around them.” Since 2013, the app has expanded to more than 2,000 college campuses and reports 3.6 million users, according to the Directory of Social Networks, Apps and Digital Services. Greer said the ability to post without an identity is what makes Yik Yak so appealing to people with potentially controversial or offensive thoughts. “If it weren’t completely anonymous, it (would) become less popular,” he said. “Everyone’s hiding behind these anonymous things.”
briefs
USI Security Incident Log 2/8/16 - 2/14/16
Startup Weekend began five years ago after Dana Nelson met with Andrew Heil, a developer from the area. Heil said Evansville needed this type of innovation ideation program for the area and began contacting Startup Weekend to construct the local chapter. Janet Effron, Doug Briody and Bourdeau were then approached to assist in the creation and lend their expertise to the group. All of this was done to help grow the surrounding entrepreneurial productions and ideas. “We can’t change our community by giving handouts. We have to change our community by creating new jobs, new companies and new entrepreneurs,” Nelson said. “The only way we’re going to do that is if we educate people on how to become entrepreneurs.”
FASt FACTS
Photo by alyssa smith | The Shield
C-Store employees Samantha Pleasant (left), a junior finance major, and Asia Thomas (right), a junior marketing major, bag items for customers during the night shift Tuesday. Both Pleasant and Thomas have been working at the C-Store for four semesters.
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Sessions teach stress relief The Counseling Center, Housing and Residence Life, Student Support Services and the Social Work Department are sponsoring “Mindful Mondays.” Each day is a chance to learn peace of mind techniques and stress relief skills. Sessions cover different ways to improve one’s life. Each session runs from 4-5 p.m. and is free. The topic for Monday is “Challenges of Mindful Studying,” and the topic for Feb. 29, is “Mindfulness of Body.”
Students can win study lounge Students have the chance to win the VIP Study Lounge for midterms this week.
Those interested can stop by the library’s reference desk and fill out a questionnaire to be entered in the drawing. The winning student will be picked Monday. For more information, visit the library’s Facebook and Twitter pages or stop by the reference desk.
online at Words Without Borders, Mid-American Review and The Rumpus.
Ropewalk author to read poems
The University of Southern Indiana’s Master of Public Administration Program and the MPA Society will host Robert Scott Wylie, executive director of the Vanderburgh Community Foundation, will speak at 5 p.m. Tuesday in Kleymeyer Hall. The presentation, titled “Seeking Support: Grantmaking in the Public and Nonprofit Sectors,” is the first event of the Master of Public Administration Program’s 2016 Speaker Series. The event and is free and open to the public.
As part of the Ropewalk Visiting Writers Reading Series, author Sandra Marchetti will read her poems from 4:30-5:30 p.m. Feb. 25, in the Traditions Lounge. Marchetti wrote “A Detail in the Landscape,” “Sight Lines” and “Heart Radicals,” as well as four chapbooks of lyric essays and poetry. Her works have appeared in many online literary sources such as Word Riot, Blackbird and Southwest Review. Her essays can be found
Community director to speak on grants
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Features
The shield | February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com
Travel, trouble and pizza Nigerian student visits Chicago, wrecks bike
by Megan Thorne features@usishield.com @ShieldsterMegan The Shield interviewed three international students to see how they were acclimating to life at a U.S. university. In this weekly series, The Shield revisited Souleymane Mamane Illia, a junior English major from Niger, Africa, to find out about his trip to Chicago and his recent experiences. The Shield: How was your trip to Chicago? Illia: The trip was really awesome because I went with friends. We rented two cars and we were driving and playing games in the car. It was really fun. My favorite part was the two places I visited, The Skydeck and the big bean (Cloud Gate) in Millennium Park. These two places were my favorite. It’s because it’s two of the most famous places in Chicago and I consider them a must see. The Shield: Did you have any “Chicago Pizza?” Illia: When we first went to the hotel, the first thing they told us when we asked them about the food was the Chicago pizza, and it was really awesome. I like it…my favorite American food is pizza. It’s really good.
Wise
The Shield: Have you had any new experiences? Illia: I got in a bike accident with my roommate. It was a Saturday and the weather was so fine we decided to rent bikes from the (Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center) and just go to the trail to have a ride. We were having fun and riding so fast that I first lost control of the bike because I had my hands up and they were not on the handlebars as we were going down the trail. That’s why I lost control and I fell down. My roommate tried to avoid going over me and he hit the brakes and flipped and fell. We went to the hospital and it’s really different because if that happened to me at home, maybe I would spend less than $5 for them to take care of me. I got some stitches on my (chin) and some scratches, but I spent a lot of money. Each of us spent $75 despite the insurance. If we didn’t have insurance, we would have spent $150. The Shield: Are the hospitals different here? Illia: It depends. We have public and private hospitals in my country. The difference is because for public hospitals you don’t have to pay money so it will be crowded every time and full of people. The
Photo courtesy of Heunghan Kim
Souleymane Mamane Illia sits on a bench in front of “Cloud Gate” at Millenium Park after spending the weekend in Chicago with his friends.
kind of service in a public hospital means you have to wait a little bit because of the people, and I think that’s the only difference. But in case of an emergency, I think that it’s not a big difference. If it’s an emergency, as soon as you get there they will take care of you. The government is struggling to give free healthcare to people…but they are try-
ing. And now there is a law for children under five that everything is free in my country…It’s a lot of money and it’s so sad. I think maybe this is one of the characteristics of capitalism. The Shield: Is there anything you would like to add? Illia: I think it’s like the cultural differences; everything’s different. I was already aware
of this before coming here because I know about different people, different cultures and different ways of perceiving life. It’s really fun because in my philosophy classes, they talk about societies and cultures, and now I’m kind of experienced in it. There are different societies in the world, different backgrounds and beliefs, and I’m really experiencing
it. And it’s really cool to see something you learn from others and others will learn from you. Many people don’t know about your culture or your country and what’s going on, so people are so curious to ask you about it, and I’m also proud to tell them about it.
continued from Page 1
He said his mother took care of the individual problem, but she didn’t see the structural problems. “I went back to that middle school in Nashville and sat in classrooms that were teaching the same racist lessons that that teacher would have tried to impart in a much more subtle, pernicious and destructive way,” he said. White students are twice as likely to be placed in advanced classes as students of color, Wise said. Black students are three times more likely to get kicked out of school, even though white students are twice as likely to bring a gun to school. Drug use is the same among white, black and Latino students, he said. Banks used to draw red lines around predominantly black neighborhoods on maps in a practice known as redlining, Wise said. The banks would refuse to give anyone living in those neighborhoods a loan regardless of other factors such as credit. Redlining was legal until 1968. Government-insured loans
in the 1970s were created to help white families living in low-income neighborhoods. White people often say that millionaires should teach the poor how to manage money, Wise said. Managing millions of dollars doesn’t take skill. “You know what does take skill?” he asked. “Living on $387 a month in food, benefits and/or cash, which is what those women and their families were living on.” Sometimes white people say black people are lazy, Wise said. Sometimes they say they’re taking all the jobs. By definition, a person can’t be lazy and take all the jobs, he said. “I don’t ask much of racists because I expect so very little, but at the very least, I don’t want a moving target racist,” he said. “I just want you to pick your stupid and stay on that stupid.” Suicides and drug and alcohol caused deaths are on the rise for white adults ages 45-54, especially for those without college degrees, Wise said. The same types of death are declining for people of
color in the same age range and with the same level of education, he said. While people of color have known society and the economy aren’t fair and have been developing coping skills since they were kids, Wise said, white people don’t learn this until they’re adults and don’t know how to handle it. “We need to think about these four things: own our own biases, own the institutional inequities, be honest about the way that history affects the present and recognize that this is not healthy for anybody’s children,” he said. “But unless we do that, we are doomed as a society.” Wise held a Q&A after his speech. Instructor of English Xavia Harrington asked how she could help her students who feel excluded from organizations on campus. Wise said oppressed groups don’t need to receive their self-worth from dominant groups. Campuses with ethnicallythemed spaces, such Multicultural Centers, can help this, Wise said. Students in
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Photo by Alyssa Smith | The Shield
Students gather around Tim Wise, a nationally renowned anti-racist writer and educator, during a private coffee hour that gave students a safe place to ask questions on the topics of racism and discrimination Thursday in Tradition’s Lounge. Wise served as the keynote speaker for a series of events commemorating Nelson Mandela.
those types of organizations are more likely to get involved in other organizations as well. Harrington said if people don’t have discussions about needs and what’s important to them, students feel marginal-
ized. “Everyone understands what it feels like to be the underdog,” she said. People don’t need to have had the same experiences in order to empathize with one another, Harrington said.
“Once we as a university get to that point where we understand that empathy means more than sympathy, we’ll be able to embrace everyone,” she said.
The shield | February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com
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Silently loud Chamber, women’s choirs sing their way to spring concert
by nick Leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu In a secluded practice hall in the basement of the Liberal Arts Center, voices converged and radiated throughout the entire floor. Fifty students circled a piano in the middle of the room with their mentor listening intently to each voice. “Can you give me more forte this time?” Choir Director Daniel Craig asked. The students soon complied and the room was filled to the brim with a medley of voices, ranging from sopranos to baritones, gentle to roaring. All of this is the culmination of eight months of practice that Craig and the 50 choir members have put in for the spring concert. Both the chamber and women’s choirs will play various pieces Feb. 28 in Rice Library’s 2nd Floor Reading Room. Although it doesn’t have a
theme, the pieces will connect through poetry. The pieces were chosen by Craig himself to fit with the group’s talent, and some of the selected pieces will be performed in the Mayo International Choral Festival in Ireland. “Honestly, it’s one of the best groups I’ve ever had,” Craig said. “This choir has learned very well how to stay in tune and listen to one another as they sing. If we give them a pitch in the beginning of a piece, and at the end you play that pitch again, they’ll still be where it’s supposed to be.” Choir member Clara Hirsch said her brother was a key factor in her involvement in choir. As a freshman, Hirsch said the quality of production and the enthusiasm of the group is quite different than what she experienced at the high school level. “A lot more is expected
FASt FACTS What: When: Where:
Rice Library 2nd Floor Reading
Cost:
Free to attend
Spring Choir Concert 3 - 4:30 p.m. Feb. 28
from you and you can put better quality music forward,” Hirsch said. “Everyone has such a passion for making beautiful music that I haven’t seen before. Seeing how everyone is so motivated and so ready to make beautiful music reminds me of how lucky I am every day.” Senior choir member Jordan Taber has also made choir a core part of her life. This year is her fourth year singing for the club and she said she has fond memories of the Irish pieces the group has sang in the past. The sense of community is something she has in common with the other members, and she feels it is something special. “(The Madrigal Feaste) is when everyone comes together for the first time. Usually, when the freshmen come in we’ve already established a community in the past year with our friends,” Taber said. “Then Madrigal comes and we have to be around each other for 10 hours that day. It forces you to talk to people you normally wouldn’t, but not in a bad way.” For freshman Andrew Ramsey, choir is familial. His brother takes part in the program with him and his parents also participated in choir
REVIEWS
The case for crude: ‘Deadpool’ In theaters now
By the time audiences were treated to the sight of Ryan Reynolds (“Van Wilder”) being pegged by Morena Baccarin (“Firefly”), I’m sure the parents of the 10-year-old sitting in front of me fully realized “Deadpool” isn’t a usual superhero movie. Billing itself as “a love story,” this passion project of Reynolds tells the story of a Marvel Comics superhero known for being clinically insane. That is to say, a jumpstarted form of cancer in his brain has allowed him to understand he is in a fictional world and break the fourth wall on a regular basis. The actual plot of the film is a standard revenge story with a love interest mixed in, serving more as a backdrop to telling the story of Wade Wilson (who becomes the titular anti-hero) and how he became effectively invincible. In the same manner as “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Deadpool” is the result of more than a decade’s labor. Various contractual and budgeting issues kept the film from being made. Rising from the ashes of production hell, I feel I can
say without an ounce of hyperbole that “Deadpool” manages to present the funniest, most self-aware film I have ever seen. Reynolds was born to play the part of an absolutely bananas fourth-wallbreaking mercenary. Any production issues or shortcomings of the film are brought to the foreground by commentary from Deadpool himself. In one scene, he goes to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters (home turf of the X-Men) and finds the only other two mutants from the Marvel universe conveniently at the front door. Deadpool looks directly into the camera and makes a
quip about how convenient it is that he never bumps into the dozens of other mutants. “It’s almost as if there were contractual conflictions.” While last year’s “Kingsman: The Secret Service” proved spy movies are far more entertaining with a dash of irreverent humor and Rrated fight sequences, “Deadpool” proves the same point for superhero movies. It’s incredibly easy to become jaded to overtly serious super sequels when one seems to come out every few seconds while fun flicks like “Guardians of the Galaxy” or “Ant Man” are few and far between. “Deadpool” mixes a bananas premise with action sequences containing just the right amount of gore. Yes, the main character can take a Bowie knife into his left lobe and keep going without much difficulty, but the audience still winces and feels each punch throughout the fight sequences. There are consequences, unlike certain other “heroes,” who level entire cities in the process of saving just one person.
Rating 5/5 BY Gavin Gaddis
zimride.com/usi
Photo by Nick Leighty | The Shield
Choir Director Daniel Craig listens closely to the choir Friday afternoon at the Hamilton Music Studio. Members follow his instruction and practice their music for a concert Feb. 28.
groups. He felt at home at the university the moment he met Craig, Ramsey said. “I came down to take my placement tests and wanted to see if (Craig) was going to be at the orientation for transfer students. He goes, ‘Well, are you interested in auditioning
now?’ and it threw me off,” he said. “His professionalism, knowledge of music and experience, that’s part of (the homeyness).” Ramsey encourages all students to attend the event and help them experience the emotion they try to evoke in their pieces and enjoy them-
selves. “People don’t realize we are here. I lived an hour away from here my entire life, and I never knew that USI had a group like this until I got here,” Ramsey said. “People don’t realize we are here. It’s a free concert. Come and enjoy it.”
New Harmony shines ‘Under the Beams’
by Megan Thorne
features@usishield.com @shieldstermegan Liz Mumford teaches special education classes by day and works with musicians at night. “(The volunteers) do it for the love of music,” she Foster said. Mumford has been a vocalist for her band Harmony Road and has performed with the Evansville Philharmonic for 13 years, which led up to her inspiration for creating Under the Beams, a concert series, 16 years ago. Under the Beams is a non-profit organization that brings arts and educational programming to New Harmony with concerts and musical outreach programs for area students of all ages. Grammy-nominated blues singer Ruthie Foster will perform in the Murphy Auditorium in New Harmony as part of the series. “Every concert is so different from the next,” Mumford said. “It brings in a new group of people. (People) can go to the shops and have dinner at one of the restaurants. It can be a really great New Harmony experience.” Everyone who helps with Under the Beams is a volunteer, Mumford said. The inspiration started after Mumford’s philharmonic chorus director said she needed a place to have a concert for a Japanese band that was coming. Mumford said she thought about the unused Granary.
“There was no piano and they had just been holding conferences in the Granary and we thought we should use this,” Mumford said. “And a handpicked piano was sent to us from Nashville.” Mumford said she remembers 10 people struggling to get the piano up the winding staircase, and there are still marks on the floor from the piano. “It was a beautiful concert and 180 people showed up,” Mumford said. “We all looked at each other and said, ‘We should keep doing this.’’’ That’s when the concert series received its name because the light would shine through the beams onto the artists, Mumford said. In 2014, the concert series moved to Murphy Auditorium in New Harmony after they ran out of space. “We have 150 seats… and honestly, Murphy was designed for this kind of thing,” Mumford said. “Every seat is a good seat.” Mumford said she brought in Foster because she loved her commanding presence and her incredible voice. “Voice is important to me,” she said laughing. “I want a good strong voice when I am picking an artist.” Mark Krahling, associate dean of the Pott College of
Science, Engineering and Education and Under the Beams board member said he has attended many of the concerts and thinks Foster is the type of performer who would appeal to students. “The performances are just amazing,” Krahling said. “It’s a very intimate place to listen to music.” Krahling said it’s a great musical experience for everyone. During the breaks, the artists take time to sign CDs and shake hands with the audience. “I think that’s part of the magic of New Harmony and Murphy Auditorium,” Krahling said. “You’re not 300 feet away, you’re 10 or 15 feet away from the performer.” Krahling said he would like to see more students and younger people at events like this, especially since USI students have an opportunity to get in for free. The College of Liberal Arts will offer about 20 free tickets to students who call before they run out. Krahling said he is a fan of New Harmony because it’s such a small town, but they put on amazing arts events. “Under the Beams music definitely cuts across the music spectrum,” he said. “It started out classical and now it’s much more diverse.”
FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:
Under the Beams: Ruthie Foster 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 Murphy Auditorium in New Harmony About 20 tickets are free through the College of Liberal Arts or $15 for students
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Opinion
The shield | February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com
Screagles Call Question: “What’s one thing you would like changed about USI?”
Name: Kirsten Martin Major: Health Services Grade: Senior Answer: “Food options, because the quality of the food isn’t equal to the price of the meal plans. Make food better.”
is there really an effective way to study | morgan falconer | The Shield
Letter TO THE
Editor
Dear editor and students: This letter is in regards to the article entitled “‘Dick Pics’ on the rise: Unwanted nude images affect ‘emotional wellness’” published Feb. 11. The article offers valuable information for readers regarding the impacts of sexting and the emergence of technology as a means of sexual expression and the potential for exploitation. However, some of the opinions expressed do not reflect the opinions or efforts of the Counseling Center. One source states, “Girls are walking around with their midriffs showing and wearing ‘booty’ shorts and then wonder why older men send them photos” in reference to the idea that women solicit sexually aggressive behaviors from men based on their clothing. It should be noted that comments regarding a woman’s choice of clothing as an instigator for nonconsensual “sexts” only serve to perpetuate victim blaming. It is important to remember that the person sending the message chose to do so without the consent of the other party. By blaming the victim, we are condoning the actions of the person com-
mitting the offense. In the article, I discuss the normalization of sexting as a contributing factor to the likelihood that students may feel compelled to participate in this means of expression. Directly after the release of this article, in which the author warned of all of the risks associated with sexting, The Shield’s Twitter handle featured memes with sexually suggestive messages. One of the memes included the statement, “Can i take ur noodz?” While the intention behind these memes may be playful in nature, these contradictory messages can be confusing for students. Unfortunately, conflicting messages regarding sexual expression are common and quite problematic. If you have any concerns regarding this issue or are affected by these conflicting messages, please feel free to stop by the Counseling Center to schedule an appointment to speak with one of our counselors.
Pay for grade by Ellen cooper fecooper1@eagles.usi.edu I paid $22.65 to get attendance points in an English class last Thursday. For this particular class, we were required to attend one of the events held at USI for Nelson Mandela Commemoration Day. Unfortunately, every single event conflicted with other classes, organizations or my job. My only option was to ask off of work to go to a guest lecture, get somebody to sign my elementary school ‘esque slip and then write about what I had learned. Honestly, I could have gotten on YouTube and watched one of the 103,000 videos that come up when you search “Tim Wise.” But, ever the good kid,
I couldn’t make myself lie about going to an event. That, and I needed a faculty member to sign that I had been there. I gave up some of my paycheck to get a good grade in a class that isn’t even worth the money I spent to be in it. Granted, I only make a little more than minimum wage, so the $7.55 an hour isn’t the biggest loss, but the point still remains – money is money. I already paid almost $700 to be in an English class that is basically high school American History all over again. I’m a full-time college student who works part-time and is involved in several different campus organizations. I don’t really have any money or time to spare. The same goes for classes that require you to watch and
respond to a university play. You might as well hand your professor the $7 it costs to attend a play rather than go to the play and turn in a halfassed essay about it. Students shouldn’t have to lose money from a paycheck or shell out money to attend events to get a good grade in an already costly class. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying, “woe is me, my life is so difficult,” but I am saying I think it is unfair for a class to require students to attend an event that is not being held during the class’s scheduled time. Yes, the Tim Wise keynote speech was enriching, but it wasn’t worth the money I lost not working. School is a priority, but it shouldn’t take over my entire life.
Name: Mayson Sheehon Major: English Teaching Grade: Sophomore Answer: “Not having to take the UNIV class students are required to take as freshman, because it sucks.”
Name: Khalid Allasi Major: Radio and TV Grade: Sophomore Answer: “I really like USI. I don’t think there are many changes to be made. It treats me well.”
THE
SHIELD Editorial Board Bobby Shipman Editor-in-Chief Gabi Wy News Editor
Sincerely, Alyssia D. Haymond, M.S., and the Counseling Center staff
Megan Thorne Features Editor Illustration by Philip Kuhns | The Shield
Gavin Gaddis Opinion Editor Sarah Loesch Sports Editor
THE
EAGLE EXAMINER
Unauthorized Advice
by Gavin Gaddis
Conspire to be logical Have oddly-timed classes ever forced you to work fewer hours than usual? Yes
79%
No
11%
I had to quit a job
10%
19 people responded to this week’ s Eagle Examiner. Watch The Shield’s Twitter @usishield for the next poll.
Voice your opinion Apply at usishield.com/work-for-us
I believe it is the duty of every logically-minded adult to question anything presented to them as being “just the way things are.” That being said, don’t adopt a conspiracy theory “the truth is out there” attitude, I’m promoting the mind of a logical skeptic. Think less Alex Jones and more Adam Conover. Whatever the reason may be, the general consensus seems to be that naysayers should be looked down upon. A critic or commentator pointing out flaws in some pie-in-the-sky idea is seen more as an attacker than someone bringing reason to the table. In much the same way, many people I know refuse to watch television news because they are jaded to the constant stream of negative news coming down the airwaves. People don’t like hearing something funny or inspiring is actually a load of crap.
Everything is flawed in some way. This very article probably has a handful of grammatical errors sprinkled throughout despite the numerous copy-editing passes each article goes through at The Shield. Errors happen. That’s a fact of life. The key to skepticism is noting those important errors that might fundamentally change how someone lives their life or understands the world. Let’s look at one national and one local example of ideas that make for fun fiction, but should be taken with many grains of salt. No, “solar freakin roadways” are not feasibly possible as presented by the popular viral video that made its way around the usual social media channels. From the standpoint of making a sexy design pitch and an easily sharable message, it works. From an engineering
standpoint, not so much. No, there probably isn’t a hollowed-out book full of illicit materials somewhere on the fourth floor of the Rice Library. As much as I’d like to write an exposé on that mythical book, all signs point to it not existing. Why would anyone go through the trouble of setting up some Cold Warera cloak and dagger routine simply to exchange money for legally questionable substances? If usi_snaps has taught us anything, it’s that legallyquestionable substances are easily obtained and consumed on campus without the use of something as antiquated as a dead drop. Nobody likes a Negative Nancy, but a carefully-administered dose of skepticism can save you from the many shady things you encounter in life, possibly even something more malicious than a hippydippy video about sticking solar panels on roads.
James Vaughn Chief Copy Editor Jessica Stallings Visual Editor
S ta f f Alyssa Smith Chief Photographer Armon Siadat Community Engagement Manager Brian Tenbarge Page Designer Philip Kuhns Page Designer
Sales & Marketing S ta f f Anthony Ross Sales & Marketing Director Olivia Meyer Business Manager Lauren Downen Marketing Manager Danielle VanHooser Layout & Design Manager Ugurkan (Oguz) Akkaya Circulation Manager Jonah Breeden Sales Consultant Alicia Bowling Sales Consultant Rob Rich Sales Consultant Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board
Sports
The shield | February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com 1.
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Crowning Moments Photos by alyssa smith | The Shield
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1. Reagan Phelps, a senior nursing major, and Alex Hoffmann, a senior radio and television major, walk onto the court during the homecoming presentation at halftime of the men’s basketball game Saturday in the Physical Activites Center. 2. After being crowned homecoming king and queen, junior management and public relations double major Lauren Fuhs and junior biology major Evan Stieler smile at members of Gamma Phi Beta as they celebrate their sister’s win. 3. Sophomore forward/guard Kaydie Grooms shoots a layup during the first half of the women’s basketball game against the University of Missouri-St. Louis Saturday. 4. Sophomore center Davis Carter walks through his teammates as he is announced as a starter before the homecoming game. This was his first career start for the Eagles. 5. Junior guard Bobo Drummond attempts a pass through UMSL’s defense. 6. Members of Gamma Phi Beta cheer as Fuhs walks onto the court before being crowned homecoming queen.
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20 points they score a game saves them from that.
The Verbal Commitment By Sarah Loesch
Balance the blame
Blame does not usually belong to one individual. Oftentimes, it ends up on the shoulders of a person whose control only goes so far. I don’t like blame the coach mentality, but maybe more than that, I don’t understand it. After the men’s basketball team lost 89-80 to Maryville University, I saw a comment on Facebook stating the university should go in a different direction in regards to coaching. My first problem is the men’s basketball team is currently 16-9. That is not a bad record. The team is unfor-
tunately 8-7 in GLVC play, but that is still an above .500 record. Based purely on games won vs games lost, the way the season looks does not constitute a coaching change. But more than just the team’s record backs up my point. Coaches coach, players play No member of the coaching staff is physically on the court boxing out, grabbing rebounds, shooting threes or making crucial free throws. They can only do so much before it’s out of their hands and into the player’s. The coaches can harp it in
practice and in the huddle. But out on the court, the players have the responsibility to execute. I’m not saying there is no chance a play failed because the coach set it up badly. It’s more likely that once on the court, the play was not executed the way it should have been. Good when winning When a team wins, the coach is often called good. It shouldn’t be based solely on wins and losses when deciding how to define a coach. The star player on a losing team doesn’t automatically get branded a bad player. The
Don’t shoot the messenger Blaming the person in charge is normal in a lot of situations. I failed almost every test I took in my two years of precalculus and calculus during high school. Yet, my math teacher is one of the best teachers I have ever had. I didn’t fail because he didn’t teach me, or because I didn’t try. I failed because I couldn’t wrap my head around the concepts enough to fully perform them. But now looking back, I realize on paper it looked like he wasn’t teaching me. It only looked this way because poor test grades reflect poorly on teachers. The same way a losing team reflects poorly on a coach. Overall, a losing streak, or in this instance, one loss, shouldn’t result in the automatic search for a scapegoat. Teams can lose when everyone is working to the best of their ability.Students can fail when everyone is working to the best of their ability. It shouldn’t all fall on one person. If a fan has to put blame somewhere, balance it out. It rarely is accurate to make one person the dumping site for blame.
Schoenstein
continued from Page 1
“It gives me a good starting point,” Schoenstein said. “I know what type of players to bring to complement the current roster.”’ Even though there were more than 100 applicants for the head coaching position, Director of Athletics John Mark Hall and his staff felt Schoenstein was the best pick. “We felt really strongly about Eric’s past coaching and passion for the sport,” Hall said. “We felt his passion to make us a winning team and someone who can bring talent to the team made him the right choice.” Schoenstein previously coached at Bosse High School for 18 years. Afterward, he coached travel soccer and currently serves as the director of Coaching and Player Development at Sporting Southern Indiana. Jim List, Sporting Southern Indiana president, said Schoenstein helped build the organization.
“We were a small club and not recognized highly,” List said. “(Schoenstein) has helped us win three state championships on the girls side, and we went from 12 to 32 teams in a seven to eight year span with him.” Schoenstein brought more than growth to the club. “The fact that he has given kids direction for playing in the next level up is tremendous,” List said. “In the last five years, at least 85 kids went on to play in college.” Schoenstein enjoys watching his players develop, which he said he looks forward to most for next season. “The way he handles kids, especially a girls program because that’s what he has always coached, will help him to be a head coach,” List said. “He knows how to get the best out of them on and off the field. In this community, kids want to play for him.”
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The shield |February 18, 2016 | Usishield.com
Upcoming Games Upcoming Games Baseball
Softball
Men’s Basketball
woMen’s Basketball
2 p.m. Feb. 19 USI Baseball Field Grand Valley State Univ.
1 p.m. Feb. 20 USI Softball Field Ohio Dominican University
7:30 p.m. Feb. 18 Springfield, Illinois U of Illinois Springfield
5:30 p.m. Feb. 18 Springfield, Illinois U of Illinois Springfield
1 p.m. Feb. 20 USI Baseball Field Grand Valley State Univ.
3 p.m. Feb. 20 USI Softball Field Ohio Dominican University
3:15 p.m. Feb. 20 Lebanon, Illinois McKendree University
1 p.m. Feb. 20 Lebanon, Illinois McKendree University
Noon Feb. 21 USI Baseball Field Grand Valley State Univ.
2 p.m. Feb. 23 USI Softball Field Trevecca Nazarene Univ.
Women’s Golf All Day Feb. 22 Mobile Alabama University of South Alabama
4 p.m. Feb. 23 USI Softball Field Trevecca Nazarene Univ.
scoreboard Men’s basketball Feb. 11 89 - 80 Feb. 13 76 - 86
woMen’s basketball Feb. 11 61 - 74
Women’s tennis 4 p.m. Feb. 19 Belleville, Illinois Lindenwood Univ. Belleville
Feb. 13 69 - 76
4 p.m. Feb. 20 St. Charles, Missouri Lindenwood University
Men’s Tennis Feb. 13 3-6
New Harmony Theatre & University of Southern Indiana co-present
ARCADIA Written by Tom Stoppard Directed by Elliot Wasserman USI Students $12 Employees $15 Adults $18 Seniors & Non-USI Students $16
February 18 - 20 7:30 p.m. @ Performance Center February 21 2 p.m. @ Performance Center
For ticket information, go online to www.usi.edu/theatre or call 812-465-1668
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