THE
SHIELD
T h u r s d a y, m A R C H 1 7 , 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 5
by Gabi Wy
Fourth sex offense reported than when the report was filed. The log states the rape took place between 1111:59 p.m., Oct. 24, 2015, at a “non-campus” location. The log also stated the case was referred to a law enforcement agency. Central Dispatch was not called to the university at
news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi A forcible rape was reported in the university crime log March 2. This is the fourth rape reported in four months. The incident occurred more than five months prior
in Newman Hall. The second rape, reported Dec. 2., allegedly occurred in the campus apartments Nov. 23. The third rape was reported this semester to have occurred Feb. 5, in campus housing. The sheriff’s office did not respond to The Shield’s
the time of the report. Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding told The Shield he would “get back” to the publication with more information, then asked for a specific address. The university crime log did not provide one. The first rape report was filed Nov. 18, as occurring
records request concerning the third rape. The response time exceeds the seven-day legal maximum amount of time the office should respond. Assistant Dean of Students Laurie Berry said there are no limitations in reporting rapes on campus. “It can be something that
happened yesterday, today or several years out,” she said at the dean of students’ office’s screening of “The Hunting Ground,” a college sexual assault documentary. “Any kind of report that comes in, in that manner,” Berry said, “we will follow up and investigate.”
Politicians to discuss political civility by Nick Leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu To completely understand civility in politics, one must understand the interactions of political figures. President Linda Bennett described the House of Representatives as a majoritarian body where minority political parties are not included in actions and the Senate is a deliberative body, where one Senator can halt the workings. Former Senator Richard Lugar and former Congressman Lee Hamilton stand out in both the Senate and Congress by working to better the nation using civility to work with opposing parties. Lugar and Hamilton will have a moderated discussion on the topic of civility in politics. The discussion will take place at 6:30 p.m March 23, in Carter Hall. Bennett will moderate the event with guests having the opportunity to ask questions to Lugar and Hamilton. The Shield reached out to Senator Lugar twice and Congressman Hamilton five times for interview on March 14 and 15 without response. When passing judgements or making decisions, both Hamilton and Lugar reach out to the other side of the political spectrum, Bennett said. “I think we have in our modern society become very focused on rights, but less focused on obligations,” Bennett said. “The willingness to engage in a conversation and to listen…the willingness to take the time to learn more about your own position and to learn about the other person’s position.”
Civility , PAGE 3
Illustration by philip kuhns | The Shield
Students discuss pros, cons of political correctness 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. This week, The Shield explored the idea of political correctness on campus and asked students whether that conflicts with the concept of free speech. Evan Phillips has to watch his steps wherever he goes. As a member of the LGBTQ community, he said he’s often been the recipient of slurs for his identity. “(The university environment) is mostly decent, but there are some places or times that are not safe for me to dress appropriately,” the sophomore political science major said.
Phillips said the insults are purely a result of ignorance. “I used to get really angry, but that would result nowhere,” he said. “Now I try to have a civil conversation with people.” Merriam-Webster defines “politically correct” as “agreeing with the idea that people should be careful to not use language or behave in a way that could offend a particular group of people.” Political correctness is important, he said, but free speech prevails. “Even though it’s rude to talk a certain way, you have a choice,” he said. “We can’t stop everyone from expressing themselves.” According to the Pew Research Center in November 2015, 40 percent of millennials believe it is OK to limit speech if it offends minority groups. The percentage of millennials contrasts from the 27 percent of Generation X (people born from the early 1960s to 1980s), 24 percent of Boomers (born right after World War II) and 12 percent of Silents (born between mid-1920s to early 1940s) who sup-
port speech limitation. “I don’t think our generation is too sensitive,” Phillips said. “We’re just more aware of reality.” Dampering down diversity Freshman Andrew Palombit doesn’t think political correctness is a problem at USI. “I haven’t heard anybody insult people,” said Palombit, who is also a political science major. Palombit said worrying about offending others shouldn’t inhibit someone from saying how they feel. “The concept of political correctness dampers down the substance of what we’re saying,” he said. “It can conceal the problems.” Palombit said there should be no limitations on free speech as long as no one is seriously threatened. “As soon as you add restrictions, you limit the debate people can have to defend their ideas,” he said. “You have the right to offer rebuttals.”
Political correctness, PAGE 3
President to serve answers for annual breakfast by nick leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu Students fill the room from corner to corner as the smell of eggs, bacon, pancakes and sausage pervade the air. Some students have notepads scribbled with questions about the university. They eat their breakfast as President Linda Bennett walks around the room, taking questions and addressing issues they may have. This scene is typical for Breakfast with the President, an annual event scheduled to take place March 30. Students eat free when they pick up their tickets at Alumni and Volunteer Services in University Center West. Bennett offers this opportunity for students and organizations to come and ask her questions regarding anything and everything they might want to know. “It really is (Bennett) giving up her time to answer some of these questions one on one,” said Caylin Blockley, assistant director of Alumni and Volunteer Services. The core of the event is the Q&A portion. Blockley
SGA impeaches representative by Gabi Wy news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi
Photo by The Shield
USI alumnus Luke Williams asks President Linda Bennett about her take on advertisements on campus at last year’s Breakfast with the President in Carter Hall.
said it is something Bennett wanted to keep. She wants to answer as many questions as possible. The main goal of the Student Alumni Association is to get as many students to the event as possible. Because it is such a big event, they have looked at the time placement and length of the event to accommodate more students. Blockley said last year went well and the laid-back atmosphere was the key. “She’s very good at making everyone feel comfort-
able,” Blockley said. He also believes this event is a key part in moving the university forward and making it better. Student Alumni Association President Alex Martens said there has been a slight increase in student alumni event participation each year, but attendance is still not where they would like it to be. One example of attracting more participants is adding more sponsors to the “Light up the Quad” event they hold each year.
Breakfast, PAGE 5
The Student Government Association impeached Aaron Gottman, former Administrative Vice President for University Affairs, during a committee meeting Tuesday. After four years of involvement with SGA, the senior business administration major was charged with neglect of duty, absenteeism, disobedience of instructions, disobedience of bylaws and standing rules and persistent violation. Gottman is currently in the process of appealing his impeachment to the Dean of Students’ Office. The next step for him would be presenting his case to a University Appeals Committee, which currently does not exist. Vice President Liz Downard said SGA impeached Gottman because he continuously did not complete office hours. She said all five charges boiled down to that. “We attempt to cover all the bases in case one charge
doesn’t stick,” Downard said. She said SGA is trying to figure out how to assemble the committee needed for a formal impeachment appeals process. Gottman is one of three SGA members to be brought up for impeachment, Downard said. Former representative Tanner Milazzo resigned before he could be formally impeached, and former representative Roger Moore has not been in attendance at meetings recently. “(Milazzo) resigned in order to save his ability to be in SGA next year,” Downard said. “Once you’ve been impeached, you can’t serve.” Gottman said a hectic schedule kept him from completing office hours. “A person can be so busy that you can’t always remember you have to do something else,” he said. “Mine happens to be office hours.” He said office hours have been low on his list of priorities.“It seems rather minuscule,” Gottman said. “It’s silly to be so stringent. If you look through the by-
laws, there could be a lot more people out of the organization.” He said even though he’s impeached, other students still ask him for information pertaining to SGA. “I’ve done my job in an effective manner,” Gottman said. “One thing slipped, but it hasn’t affected how I’ve worked.” He said even though he’s been involved in other organizations like Activities Planning Board, his role in SGA was how he was really able to impact campus. “I’ve messed up,” Gottman said, “but I want to continue working and do what I love. I want to help the university before I leave.” Gottman requested The Shield to clarify the article to say that he did complete his office hours every week, and his impeachment is only because he did not complete the forms to say he did. He said the charges brought up against him were not “filling out an office hour sheet.” President Alexa Bueltel confirmed that all five charges stated earlier were correct.
The shield | mARCH 17, 2016 | Usishield.com
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Political Correctness continued from Page 1 The USI Student Handbook states the university is “a forum for the free expression of ideas.” The document later states, “At USI, we believe that civility is important and is the result of an intentional choice of all members of the campus community.” Adjunct Instructor David Rodenberg said a student freely expressed her ideas in one of his classes, but received verbal abuse about it in the hallway afterward. The student had said “all lives matter,” which supporters of the “Black Lives Matter” movement opposed. In light of incidents such as that of racial profiling by police, “Black Lives Matter” supporters often find “all lives matter” to undermine the minority struggle. However, Rodenberg said the student should not have been attacked. “When rights aren’t respected, you feel personally attacked,” Rodenberg said. He said he dealt with the issue by assuring her that her opinion was valid. Then Rosenberg brought up the harmful attacks with the entire class. He said he stressed respect as necessary to have these sorts of discussion. Rodenberg said political correctness has a lot of importance, but it can be taken too far. “Political correctness is
‘
civility continued from Page 1
I don’t think our generation is too sensitive, we’re just more aware of reality.
’
-Evan Phillips LGBTQ member
challenging,” he said. “Sometimes it’s used to ignore important differences between people. We live in a world of differences and diversity. We shouldn’t pretend like we’re the same.” ‘The sting and emotion’ Johanna Druen doesn’t shy away from controversial subject matter. She recently decided she should be able to bring print pornography to her gender studies class, not for shock factor, but for education. “You can’t talk about pornography if you’re not looking at it,” Druen said. “The way to do that is to bring it in and not treat it as a taboo topic.” The gender studies and English instructor regularly holds round-table discussions in her classes and said the experience has been completely
positive. “I believe it’s not only important for students to voice their opinion, but for students to defend their positions in a rational and logical way,” she said. “I consider it to be part of my responsibility as an instructor.” She said political correctness helps take out the possibility of offending someone in the room. “It’s taking the sting and emotion out of a topic and learning how to present those different opinions and values,” she said. Ashley Evearitt said political correctness is necessary to make everyone feel comfortable on campus. A staff therapist for the Counseling Center, Evearitt directs the Voices of Discovery group, which attempts to “enhance students’ understanding of intergroup/diver-
sity issues.” “Not everyone who arrives here at college knows how to treat others in a respectful way,” Evearitt said. “It’s our job as a university to teach that.” She said political correctness isn’t a one-time choice, it’s a learning curve. “My goal is to make people welcome at every place in the university and for every student to feel safe,” Evearitt said. “Political correctness is how we make spaces more welcome and having an awareness of terms that make things unsafe.” She said, ultimately, the decision to be politically correct is up to the individual. “Free speech is a legal term. You need the right language to build bridges,” Evearitt said. “I can’t force people to speak a certain way. It’s up to them.”
To Bennett, both Hamilton and Lugar have done stellar work in recognizing rights and obligations and are willing to hear out other issues that affect their work. Both men received the congressional Medal of Freedom, which is given to men and women who have exemplified the conduct and effort that protects the best characteristics of democracy, Bennett said. “It’s the highest honor a president can give a civilian,” Bennett said. Thanks to their political experience and keen observation of what is going on, they are able to decide what issues need attention and address them. To her, both Lugar and Hamilton understand people must come together in the political system for the greater good and are both recognized for that ability. Lugar was a significant player in U.S. foreign policy, having co-sponsored the Development,
Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, which granted permanent residency to undocumented immigrants. Hamilton has significant experience in fiscal politics by chairing many committees such as the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Joint Committee on Printing. When organizing this discussion, Bennett said she had no idea some of the disruptions on the political campaigns would be happening, such as the riots seen on coverage of certain Trump rallies. Because of this, college campuses are being affected with people chanting Trump’s name and others counter-chanting. With the political climate as it is, Bennett said this is the time to have a discussion on civility in politics. “It’s truly an honor to have these gentlemen come and talk on this topic,” Bennett said.
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The shield | mARCH 17, 2016 | Usishield.com
USI Security Incident Log 3/1/16 - 3/15/16 Theft Recreation Fitness and Wellness Center 3/1/16 2:45 p.m. Injury Report Recreation Fitness and Wellness Center 3/1/16 8:26 p.m. Theft UC East 3/2/16
9:30 a.m.
Sex Offense / Forcible Rape Off Campus 3/2/16 10:20 a.m. Theft Rec Center 3/3/16 1:02 p.m. Traffic Accident Parking Lot C 3/4/16 3:20 p.m. Fire - Faulty Alarm OʼDaniel South Apartments - Boon Bldg 3/5/16 7:46 a.m.
Theft Parking Lot C 3/12/16 2:35 p.m.
Injury Report Rec Center 3/8/15 4:27 p.m.
Traffic Accident University Boulevard 3/14/16 11:14 a.m.
Theft Ceramics Studio 3/10/16 10:25 a.m.
Theft Technology Center 3/14/16 6:03 p.m.
Firer - Faulty Alarm OʼDaniel North Apartments 3/10/16 4:06 p.m.
Fire - Faulty Alarm OʼDaniel North Apartments - Schricker Bldg 3/14/16 6:44 p.m.
Fire OʼDaniel North Apartments - Schricker Bldg 3/10/16 7:41 p.m.
University aims to expand by Gabi Wy
Traffic Accident Parking Lot D 3/5/16 10:18 a.m.
Traffic Accident Hit & Run Parking Lot B 3/15/16 12:56 p.m.
news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi President Linda Bennett is pushing for expansion. She said the university’s current enrollment is almost 11,000, but her goal is to increase that number to 15,000 by 2025. At the Board of Trustees meeting March 3, the trustees voted to approve Bennett’s Strategic Plan for the next five years. Bennett said the university will be more intentional and systematic about finding opportunities for students and faculty to grow.
While the three-point 2016-2020 Strategic Plan is different from the last sixpoint plan, Bennett said the university’s mission statement will remain the same. The first point is “excellence in learning for the entire USI community.” The second is “access and opportunity by design,” and the third is “purposeful and sustainable growth.” The mission statement as written states, “USI is an engaged learning community advancing education and knowledge, enhancing civic and cultural awareness, and fostering partnerships through comprehensive out-
reach programs. We prepare individuals to live wisely in a diverse and global community.” Vice President for Enrollment Management Andy Wright said his office is hard at work with admissions. Wright said current freshmen admissions look about the same as last year, but campus visits by potential freshman are up about 30 percent. Housing contracts and orientation registration are up “significantly” from this time last year. “This is an exciting time of the year,” he said. “We begin to see the fruits of our labor.”
IT bypasses email clutter box
Fire - Faulty Alarm Support Services Center 3/11/16 10:37 a.m.
by Gabi Wy
Fire - Faulty Alarm Residence Halls 3/12/16 8:33 a.m.
Faculty Senate Chair Rex Strange brought up a reported issue concerning emails not being delivered properly to students. He reported the concern to the senate at its meeting March 4, and said he was communicating with Information Technology Director Richard Toeniskoetter. “Many of us do not know that students encounter a ‘clutter box,’” Strange said. “Apparently it’s a spam filter. Instructors are using
news@usishield.com @ShieldsterGabi
Information gathered from USIʼs Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.
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Blackboard to send emails with issues to students and that’s ending up in the clutter box.” Several senators said they were unaware that any of these email issues were occurring. Toeniskoetter said ‘clutter’ is a feature Microsoft recently implemented in the cloud email system. “They attempt to filter email that’s not important to you into a separate folder,” he said. “We can argue it does not do that job.” Toeniskoetter said his department worked to install a bypass from the clutter
box for Blackboard emails or emails from usi.edu accounts. “One of the faculty members brought the issue to us and I had to go find a student to see it,” he said. “Now (the bypass) is one of those things that’s hard to check for sure if it’s working.” He reached out to Faculty Senate to see if any senators have feedback, but Toeniskoetter hasn’t received anything back. “We would have to prove (the bypass) negative,” he said. “We’ll assume it’s working until someone has an email that doesn’t work.”
briefs SPJ to host Forum movie The university chapter of Society of Professional Journalists will be hosting Friday Night in the Forum at 7:30 p.m. April 1. The movie will be “Citizenfour,” a documentary about Edward Snowden. This movie reflects on the issues of privacy that has occurred across the nation. After the movie, there will be a panel discussion on privacy and how it affects students, the community and the United States.
Woolf to present on hate
‘Boxless’ to spotlight homelessness
Professor of Psychology and International Human Rights Linda M. Woolf will be presenting “The Psychology of Hate: From Intolerance to Terror.” This presentation will be at 7 p.m. March 21 in Mitchell Auditorium. Woolfe will discuss the psychological factors behind hate and the alluring nature of hate. The lecture is free and open to the public.
Students Jenna Kruse and Ericka Smith are hosting “Boxless in Boxville” from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday in the Free Speech Zone. The event, hosted in cooperation with the Student Housing Association, intends to raise awareness for and lend a helping hand to those experiencing homelessness.
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Features
The shield | mARCH 17, 2016 | Usishield.com
Skating into the ‘heart’ by Megan thorne features@usishield.com @ShieldsterMegan
Jenn Horn is a USI English intructor by day, but when she puts on her skates she becomes Belleboa. Horn Horn is a Dame skater for the Demolition City Roller Derby, a league under the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). “I’m the only person in my family crazy enough to try roller derby,” she said. This is Horn’s first season with derby. In the spring of 2015, Horn finished Fresh Meat, a practice where beginner skaters go to train and learn new skills before being able to skate with the league. Roller Derby isn’t what people often think it is, she said. It’s not just elbowing and flipping people over banisters. It’s a sport. Horn said she got into roller derby after seeing Bleeding Heartland’s team in Bloomington when she was a grad student. Because she learned late in life, she said it has been a challenge to do what she needs to do for the team. “I started my first Fresh Meat and I did not make it through the first session for some personal reasons,” she said. “I had a surgery, so I couldn’t actually finish out, but I probably would have had to do a second Fresh Meat anyway because I started so late.” Horn said her friends and family helped pick her name Belleboa after she knew she was going to pass Fresh Meat. “My mom definitely didn’t help. She was like, ‘I don’t understand why you can’t just be Jenn,’” Horn said, laughing. “I was like I can’t be Jenn because Jenn doesn’t wear short skirts.” Horn said one of the things she loves about roller derby is the sense of community. “They don’t care what your athletic ability is or what your size is or what your shape is,” Horn said. “If you’ve ever felt like an outcast, we will find a home for you. If you feel like you belong, we will find a home for you.” The roller derby has more than eight USI alumnae and students in the league. Sophomore economics major, Kit Stoddard thinks of Roller Derby as a sisterhood. Stoddard, also known as Pretty Kate Machine, is a Non-Skating Official (NSO) for the league. Stoddard said her derby name is a play on the album “Pretty Hate Machine” by Nine Inch Nails. “The album came out in ’89, which was the year I was born,” Stoddard said. “It’s my favorite Nine Inch Nails album, so it really fits.” Stoddard has been involved with Roller Derby for eight years as a volunteer and a Non-Skating Official (NSO), this season she decided to try Fresh Meat. “It’s a lot harder than it looks,” Stoddard said. “I
Student-run play focuses on ‘Peanuts’ characters by Abigail suddarth acsuddarth@eagles.usi.edu
Photo by Alyssa Smith | The Shield
USI alumnae Jolie DeVries and Cassie Kahn work on drills during practice for the Demolition City Roller Derby league Tuesday at The Metro Sports Center in Evansville.
know it’s going to take me a couple Fresh Meat sessions to get through it. In the meantime, I’m still going to NSO while I work on getting better at skating.” Stoddard said anyone can get involved, whether they want to skate or just learn the rules. She said even though she had a hip replacement, she still participated as an NSO before trying to skate. Stoddard said she has been in a sorority before and she never felt as close with them as she does with the derby members. “I remember one of the Fresh Meat sessions I did and I was having a really difficult day. I was falling more than usual and it was one of those holding back the tears moments and I felt like such a failure. I felt like I couldn’t do it even though I wanted it so bad,” Stoddard said. “Right at that moment, one of the league members said ‘Keep going, I am proud of you,’ and it gave me the strength to finish that practice and keep coming back.” Amanda Risher, a doll, also known as Slaughtermelons, said the one word she thinks of when it comes to derby is heart. “When we were in Bloomington, there was a transgender skater who committed suicide and we did a huge
rally around them,” Risher said. “Everyone wore ribbons to raise awareness and it said, ‘Do it for 57,’ which was her number. There is so much love in the derby community.” Risher, a 2013 alumna, said it doesn’t matter who someone is, or what they are like in derby, and that’s what she loves about it. “When you join derby you gain 30 sisters,” Risher said. “I’ve usually had trouble making friends, and then I found derby and I was like ‘Wow, I found my people.’ You have so much love. It’s great.” Love is what makes derby special for Carrie Buress. Buress, a doll, also known as Low Low, said when it comes to nerves, she really can’t think about it. “If you start thinking about it, you have to tell yourself to stop thinking about it,” the junior social work and art major
said. “Sometimes we keep a trash can because some of the girls have to puke.” Buress said she received her name because of her height. She is 4’11, and having people always saying “get lower” during practice. “The oldest on our team is 50, but I saw someone who was 71. In the junior leagues, they are 12 or 13,” Buress said. “You’re not too old or too young.” Buress said people don’t have to know how to be a good skater to join or have to be perfect from the beginning. “We had some girls that couldn’t let go of the wall and when I was skating with them. Then they joined in the pack and started skating with us,” Buress said. “We weren’t going really fast, and by the end of the night, they said ,‘Let’s go faster.’”
Collin Culiver’s dog died two days before the “Dog Sees God” auditions. The play opens with lead character CB’s dog dying. Though Culiver had only prepared auditions for the characters Matt and Van and hadn’t even read over CB’s lines, Culiver received the lead role. “I came into the audition clouded,” the freshman theatre major said. “I’m bad at sharing feelings as a person, so having the ability to express those feelings through this medium was something really cool for me.” The entirely student-run play depicts the “Peanuts” characters as high school students, most of which are graduating soon, including CB (Charlie Brown). As teenagers, the characters use different names than they did in the “Peanuts” comics. The play never directly reveals who they are until the end, when the characters come out wearing their characters’ outfits from the original comics. “It’s kind of like a movie where after you watch it the first time and you know the ending,” Culiver said. “If you watch it a second time, it’s better because you get all the hints that are dropped.” It’s obvious who some of the characters are, such as CB and his sister, he said. But some characters are more difficult to guess. Some of the characters grow up exactly the way people would think they would, while other characters end up totally opposite from how they were as kids, Culiver said. “I think each character has their own cool kind of progression that you see when growing up,” he said. “It’s like seeing an old friend that you haven’t seen in awhile.” After CB’s dog dies, he
begins asking all the other characters what happens after someone dies. Some characters’ answers are serious while others are humorous, Culiver said. The entire story takes place in a letter CB is writing to a pen-pal, he said. CB questions his sexuality and eventually becomes involved with another character. Parker Hart, who plays Matt, CB’s best friend, doesn’t want CB to change. “The overarching theme of the show is just change, how we grow as people or how we don’t grow as people unfortunately,” the freshman philosophy and theatre double major said. Hart warned his family about bringing his younger sister to see the play because it’s so vulgar, he said. “There’s a lot of homophobic slurs, especially from my character,” he said. “But it is interesting for me to play a homophobic character when I have two moms.” Though he’s never played an antagonist before, Hart said he’s always had a penchant for villains. “In ‘The Phantom of the Opera,’ I always really liked the Phantom,” he said. “In ‘Frankenstein,’ I always really liked Frankenstein’s monster.” Despite being completely opposite from his character, Hart said he learned he and Matt weren’t so different after all. “You can find a piece of yourself in each character you act,” he said. Whether it’s the stoner, the popular girl or the bully, everyone in the audience will be able to find themselves in the play, Hart said. “You will see not only how the characters have grown,” he said, “but I think you’ll take a look at yourself a little bit, too.”
FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:
Dog Sees God 7:30 p.m. March 17-19 Mallette Studio Theatre in the lower level of the LA Free
Visit the shield
FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:
Gangsters and Dolls Bout Doors open at 4:30 p.m., Destruction Dames Bout at 5:30 p.m and the Dynamite Dolls Bout at 7:30 p.m. Evansville Memorial Coliseum $7 Students at the door only, $10 general admission, for more information visit www.demolitioncityrollerderby.com
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From giraffes to squirrels International student observes nature and cultural differences
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 revisits Souleymane Mamane Illia, a junior English major from Niger, Africa, to find out about his spring break and cultural differences he has noticed recently.
The Shield: What have you been doing for spring break? Illia: I am spending spring break here on campus and it’s not so bad because if I go out I can see people walking around. What I do usually on the break is go to the gym or go by the lake and sit down and watch the animals, like squirrels and dogs. I’m enjoying the nature. Sometimes I try to take the time to complete my homework. The Shield: What do you do on spring break at home? Illia: We don’t have a spring break. We only have Christmas and Easter breaks and each break is only 10 days. It’s not the same. Here, on the break, everyone is traveling. But at my home university, not many people travel. Only a few people travel to go see their families or their hometowns and then come back. The Shield: How do you stay connected to nature? Illia: I’m a fan of nature. Even back home, I used to take time to go out of town just to enjoy nature and stay for a while. I used to go camping a lot back home with a friend. I really like staying here on spring break because if it’s not during the break, you can’t see the animals walking around each morning. I wake up early, around 6 a.m., and from my window I can see some squirrels, dogs and deer.
The Shield: Do you try to find a place where you can see nature when you travel? Illia: I’ve traveled to many African countries and I usually drive. It’s the best time when you’re driving from
one country to another and spending more than 24 hours driving. You have the chance to go through different kinds of landscapes. Sometimes you will drive 50 miles without seeing a city. It’s really cool. Whenever I’m traveling from my hometown to another city, there is a small forest and they have these giraffes. So whenever I’m passing through, I can see them from the car. They are beautiful. The Shield: Do you miss that? Illia: Yeah, I miss it because it’s something I’m used to seeing and now I don’t see it at all. I just miss home as a whole. My family, friends, classmates, everyone. But I really miss my friends. It’s good because we are always in touch on Skype, Whatsapp or Facebook. So, even though I don’t see them or spend time with them physically, I can see them on video call or talk to them on the phone. Illia: What has life been like for you in the U.S.? Illia: I’m enjoying the weather right now. It’s not hot and it’s not cold. I called my friends and they were complaining, saying it was getting warmer and I know I will soon go back to the warm and it is so warm. It’s like 107 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s really hot. If you’re not used to this type of temperature, you can’t stay there. My hometown is not a big town and there are not a lot of people concentrated. So, even though it’s hot, you can’t feel it like other places because we have big spaces and you can go out to relax under the trees. The Shield: Do people have to live differently to deal with the heat? Illia: The way people live is totally different. You will see people sitting in the yard. You will see children playing. The windows are open and people are almost always together. You can find someone in America who has never talked to their neighbor.
Photo courtesy Souleymane Mamane Illia
Souleymane Mamane Illia, a junior English major, walks with a friend across an African field.
You are living by them and it’s difficult or impossible to do that back home. It’s your neighbor, so you have to find a relationship with your neighbor. If they have something to do they have to go and tell you. If they have an event or something happening, they have to inform all the people in the neighborhood to come and take part in it. It’s really different. In most African societies, the neighborhood is like a big family. Here people are individualistic. They are isolated and it’s everyone for themselves In our society, it’s difficult to see someone living like that. We do have some places where people live like you do in America, but not a lot. So whenever you go to these places, you can see their lives are so different from the
traditional life of the town. Whenever you go there, you will see the place is quiet. It’s like there is no one living so everyone is in their own house quiet. I wouldn’t like to live so isolated to myself. I’m not used to it.
tional students, the administrative team is always listening to students and making improvements, Bennett said. Even during her personal time out in the community, Bennett said she takes comments into consideration. While out to lunch with a donor at Bonefish Grill, she asked a waitress if she was a student on campus. The waitress replied with a “no,” but said she should be. Bennett told her if she thought about going to USI, she should stop by her office and she would set her up with the people she needed to talk to. The team is constantly
making sure they are doing a better job responding to the interests of international students. Bennett said sometimes providing familiar food is a wonderful way to connect their food with their home. If certain international groups have dietary requests, they make sure they are responsive to them to make sure they feel a sense of connection to the university. “Experiencing food is an amazing cultural experience and so, in many ways, sharing that food is a way of sharing their home,” Bennett said. “That’s an important part of helping individuals
The Shield: What are some culture differences? Illia: You will see so many differences in the way of living. There’s this kind of mutual help. People will help each other. If you have a marriage or wedding ceremony, you have to inform all the neighborhood and your family, even people who are living in other cities. You inform them that you are having a wedding not just to help you but to take part of it. It’s like a duty if your neighbor has a ceremony, you have to go,.It’s a must. If you don’t
go to his ceremony, it will be a big problem. Usually when people go, they give you something, even if you have a lot of money or you are rich, people will give you money. People are kind of helping each other in every kind of circumstance. It’s also part of the culture. When you go to the villages, you will see all the old men of the village gathered under a big tree after they come back from the farm. Which is usually located in the middle of the village, so the most important decisions to happen in the village are taken under the tree because the wise men of the village are spending their time there. There’s nothing that will happen in the village without their knowledge.
Breakfast continued from Page 1
Martens has talked to Bennett about making Breakfast with the President not just students asking questions that don’t relate or questions that aren’t the best for her to answer. To ensure that as many questions are answered as possible, multiple administrators will also attend the breakfast. “Sometimes we’ve actually had a panel where we’ve had officers from different organizations on campus represent the body, and then sometimes where we’ve had students among the crowd ask questions,” Martens said. “This year, I don’t think we’ll have a panel, but we’ll
still have where ordinary students can ask those questions they’ve always been wondering.” Martens hopes to change it in the future from just a Q&A to having Bennett have her own presentation where she can state the goals and standards of the university and where the university may be in 50 years, as well as a Q&A. Bennett said the administrative team takes notes on the questions that are asked and sees what they have done or what they can do to make things better. From students that commute, to those who live on campus, to interna-
feel as if, ‘Yeah, this can be, for awhile, my home away from home.’” One of the issues addressed was the advertisement of the events on campus, and one of the ways they alleviated the issue was with the implementation of the USI App for smartphones. “You’ve got to think of this as continuous improvement by the institution,” Bennett said. “We can’t do everything, but I think listening is the first step to figuring out the things you can do and the things that will make life better for everyone.”
REVIEWS
Go for Goodman
My feelings on “10 Cloverfield Lane” are, in a word, complicated. The film tells the story of Michelle, a woman who wakes chained to a pipe after a car crash. A suspicious figure named Howard (John Goodman), tells her there has been “an attack” and he saved her from the wreck. The name implies the film is somehow connected to the Cloverfield franchise. Hold that thought. As the movie progresses, both Michelle and the audience are tasked with picking apart Howard’s odd behaviors to determine his true intentions. It takes some serious acting skill to walk the line between a kind-hearted conspiracy theorist with social problems, and a perverted introvert prone to violent outbursts. Goodman, despite being known for playing loveable everyman characters, delivers a complex character without breaking a sweat. This movie is Oscar-repellant, but Goodman definitely deserves recognition. If I could rate “10 Cloverfield Lane” purely on the first 90 minutes, it would be a strong 4.5. Unfortunately, someone decided to completely change the tone from a gripping thriller to a ridiculous action flick during the last quarter of the film. I’m going into spoiler territory for the rest of this review, so reader beware. Go see it for Goodman. He’s amazing. Feel free to walk out when things get intense. In an interview with io9’s Germain Lussier, Director Dan Trachtenberg proposes the movie’s ridiculous sudden change is “wish fulfilment” for viewers who walk out of theaters concocting possible what-if scenarios for a movie with a sudden ending. Apparently, he feels moviegoers hop into their cars after seeing a claustrophobic horror film and say, “Yes, that was good, but what if there were fleshy aliens?” Yes, a movie primarily happening in one close set, took the incredibly cheap decision of pointing directly in the face of the viewer, laughing and saying, “Haha, that one line where Harold predicts the attack was from Martians at the beginning of the movie was right.” In the words of Michelle as she catches her first glimpse of an alien ship hovering across the horizon, “You gotta be kidding me.”
Rating 1.5/5 BY Gavin Gaddis
NEW ISSUES EVERY
THURSDAY
zimride.com/usi
Opinion Check Your Etiquette
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The shield | mARCH 17, 2016 | Usishield.com
by Osman Bien Aime orbienaime@eagles.usi.edu A quick look at my Facebook these days appears pretty normal — pictures of me with friends, family and cats (lots of cats). On Instagram, it’s pretty much the same. I’ve come pretty far from the outlandish and insensitive things I used to casually post online. It’s a good thing, too, because that kind of online footprint would have a prospective employer scratching their head. I don’t believe this gets enough attention. Our Facebook profiles and Twitter feeds are giant tapestries, depicting who we are and our interests. We can fold our arms and proselytize about free speech and how it shouldn’t matter because it’s online, but our social media presence goes a long way toward aiding one’s judgement of us. It doesn’t help that some of the people making those judgements might be the ones writing our checks. When I spoke with Philip Parker, USI’s Director of Career Services and Internships, he talked about how businesses will look for “inappropriate posts and images” by potential hires and how, because we can be tagged in posts, “You never
fecooper@eagles.usi.edu I am privileged. I am white. I am middle class. I have never experienced not getting the things I rightfully deserve because of some facet of my identity, but many people have. It’s no secret black people have been oppressed, stereotyped and underrepresented. The Black Lives Matter campaign began for this reason. The Black Lives Matter website describes the organization as “an ideological and political intervention in a world where black lives are systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of black folks’ contributions to this society, our humanity and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression. It’s important to shed light on situations of oppression so people can get the equal rights and representation they deserve. However, as a white person, it is not my position to speak the story of a people group I am not a part of and therefore could never fully understand. I cannot speak for anyone but myself, but it is my
Question: “What’s one tip you have for incoming freshmen?”
Name: Allishia Lott Major: Exercise Science Grade: Freshman Answer: “Get involved.”
Illustration by Philip Kuhns | The Shield
know what’s out there of you.” Businesses want professionals working for them. There’s nothing professional about profanity-laden tirades about current coworkers or traffic. Twitter beef doesn’t look good to a hiring manager who’s just Googled you, and posting pictures from the
Ally duties by Ellen cooper
Screagles Call
duty to speak up. It is my duty to advocate for what is just in all situations. It is my duty to be an ally. Being an ally means supporting and accepting individuals in a people group you do not belong to. By being a straight person who supports gay rights, you are an LGBTQ ally. In the same manner, you can be a white person who supports equal rights and representation for people who are black, making you a Black Lives Matter ally. This does not mean I or any other white person should try to save all the poor, oppressed black folks. That’s called the “white savior mentality,” and it’s another form of racism. Don’t do that. However, we have to advocate for all people because they are human beings and have basic rights, regardless of any identity characteristic they may have. Let those who have felt the burn of systematic oppression speak their own stories. Listen to what they have to say. Let it affect you. Stand with those who have been oppressed and say “I am an ally. I support you.”
blacked-out drunk romp by the riverfront doesn’t make a good case for your ability to show up to work sober. Most social networking platforms offer privacy settings so that failing to delete every single weird post you’ve ever made (I’ve made thousands), you can protect what you post from people you don’t know.
However, as stifling as it may feel, ultimately, it’s so much easier to just be more responsible with things that are posted and how they are shared. I know, perhaps better than most, how stressful it can be to accept responsibility and act like an adult. As much as I love to have fun and share my good times
with friends and family, there has be that conscientiousness guiding the way I share online. The key word is definitely conscientiousness. The professional world is just up ahead, and to show that we belong in it, it helps to think about how it’s going to see us before we click “post.”
Letter TO THE
Dear editor and students: I am writing in response to a recent article in The Shield and questions we have received related to reported incidents of sexual misconduct on campus. This topic is being discussed on college campuses around the country and USI is committed to preventive education and responding to reported incidents. I strongly encourage students to promptly report allegations of sexual misconduct by notifying the Dean of Students Office, Public Safety, or Housing and Residence Life. All faculty and administrators are obligated to report these types of incidents to the appropri-
Editor
ate officials when they become aware of them. Nationally, these unfortunate incidents are historically under-reported. Therefore, the university is committed to training and educational opportunities, such as online training modules students received at the beginning of the year, documentary showings and panel discussions and bystander intervention education. We know these tools have started important conversations and encouraged affected individuals to come forward to seek the help and resources that are available to them. We are committed to safety on our campus. USI
utilizes the Rave Alert system to issue timely warnings for crimes which have been reported to Public Safety or local law enforcement agencies occurring on campus property or adjoining areas that are considered to represent a serious or continuing threat to the campus community. Everyone with a university email address is automatically enrolled in Rave. You can visit the Public Safety website to register your mobile number as well. Sincerely, Brian Rush
Name: Brianna Lewis Major: Accounting Grade: Freshman Answer: “Go to the gym. Be healthy.”
Name: Jared Bond Major: Bio-chemistry Grade: Sophomore Answer: “Get involved, especially in a Christian group on campus. I am in Student Christian Fellowship”
THE
SHIELD Editorial Board Bobby Shipman Editor-in-Chief Gabi Wy News Editor Megan Thorne Features Editor Gavin Gaddis Opinion Editor Sarah Loesch Sports Editor James Vaughn Chief Copy Editor Jessica Stallings Visual Editor
S ta f f Alyssa Smith Chief Photographer APPLY NOW Community Engagement Manager
THE
Brian Tenbarge Page Designer
EAGLE EXAMINER
Philip Kuhns Page Designer
Sales & Marketing S ta f f Anthony Ross Sales & Marketing Director Olivia Meyer Business Manager APPLY NOW Marketing Manager
How do you feel about student life at USI? It’s a great community
Danielle VanHooser Layout & Design Manager Gavin Gaddis Circulation Manager
78%
I just go to class
11%
I don’t like it here
11%
9 people responded to this week’ s Eagle Examiner. Watch The Shield’s Twitter @usishield for the next poll.
Jonah Breeden Sales Consultant Rob Rich Sales Consultant
One with nature | megan thorne | The Shield
Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board
Sports
The shield | mARCH 17, 2016 | Usishield.com
7
Aim, release, follow through Archery Club a stress reliever, open to all
Photo by ALyssa Smith | The Shield
Senior engineering major Zach Clem aims his arrow during Archery Club practice March 2, at the Physical Activities Center.
by sarah loesch
sports@usishield.com @ShieldsterSarah The first aspect of archery that struck Shelby Hammel was the sound an arrow makes when it hits the target. She joined the archery club in the fall of 2015. But before that, she had never touched a bow. “I had just shot guns before, so shooting a bow, you have to put more muscle into it,” the senior said. “It made me want to go buy a bow and go bow hunt.”
Hammel heard about the club from a few of her friends and decided it sounded like fun. While Hammel knows how to hunt, she said, it is not a skill that is necessary to be a member of the club because plenty of the members do not hunt at all. Club President Ashley Aders said the club has 40 members on Orgsync. More than 10 attend the biweekly meetings on a regular basis. Aders said the club is purely recreational, but the group hopes to continue to raise funds to make competition possible.
After the club received startup grants last spring, it was able to purchase all the necessary equipment. Anyone interested in the club is not required to have their own bow. The club is equipped with bows, arrows, targets and backdrops. The group is open to anyone at any skill level. “I just like how involved the other members have gotten, how much they really enjoy it,” she said. “They really look forward to coming and having fun and shooting.” Aders said a lot of members
Scores
like the club because it does not have a strenuous time commitment. Hammel said she enjoys that aspect as well. “It doesn’t require a lot from you,” Hammel said. “You can kind of just come and go.” Hammel said anyone can
catch on and new members are still joining. The club would like more attendance at weekly meetings, but overall, it is happy with the amount of people joining. “It’s a good way to relieve stress,” she said. “Just getting to shoot.”
FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:
Archery Club Bi-weekly Wednesdays 6-7 p.m. PAC 200 $5
Upcoming
Baseball
Softball
Baseball
Mar. 4 6 - 12
Mar. 5 6-3
Mar. 5 2-7
Mar. 6 3-5
6 p.m. March 18 Evansville, Indiana Univeristy of Evansville
Mar. 5 4-9
Mar. 6 3-4
Mar. 6 1-2
Mar. 8 3-2
Mar. 8 2 - 13
Mar. 8 4-3
Mar. 9 6-5
Mar. 9 2-3
Mar. 11 0-2
Mar. 9 6-1
Mar. 11 3-9
Mar. 12 1-6
Mar. 12 0-4
Mar. 12 0-8
women’s tennis
Mar. 13 1 - 11
Mar. 6 5-4 Mar. 7 9-0 Mar. 8 9-0 Mar. 9 8-1
men’s tennis Mar. 4 1-8 Mar. 5 4-5 Mar. 6 3-6 Mar. 9 7-2
Mar. 13 6 - 12
women’s golf Mar. 7 - 8 Benbow Invitational 7th of 12 teams Mar. 9 - 10 Bulldog Florida Invitational 4th of 9 teams
men’s track & Field Mar. 11 - 12 GLVC Inodoor Championships 26th (9 pts.)
men’s golf Mar. 14 - 15 CBU Spring Classic 4th of 5 teams
6 p.m. March 19 Evansville, Indiana Quincy University Noon March 20 Evansville, Indiana Quincy University
Men’s Golf All Day March 19-20 Springfield, Illinois UIS Spring Invitational
Men’s/Women’s Tennis March 19 St. Louis, Missouri University of Missouri-St. Louis
Women’s Golf All Day March 19-20 Perry Park, Kentucky Perry Park Spring Fling
Softball Noon March 19 Kansas City, Missouri Rockhurst University 2 p.m. March 19 Kansas City Missouri Rockhurst University Noon March 20 Liberty, Missouri William Jewell College 2 p.m. March 20 Liberty, Missouri William Jewell College
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The shield | mARCH 17, 2016 | Usishield.com
The Verbal Commitment By Sarah Loesch
Savor the moments
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with high school journalism students about the dreaded “We’re a family” quote that often pops up in athletics.
The students told me the phrase is banned in their yearbook because of overuse and fear of playing into a cliché. From my position of minimal expertise, I told them not to
immediately dismiss the idea of family. Almost every team I speak with ends up describing themselves as a family before the season is over. There isn’t
anything wrong with that. They are bonded, they have a unified goal and they all spend a majority of their time together. They aren’t making up the feeling. When I spoke to the president of the archery club this week, she said the members of the club are like “a little family.” These students aren’t spending every day together in practice, and they aren’t traveling miles together to compete. They have meetings biweekly for an hour. But they have bonded over this sport together. They have all found a connection in it and a reason to return when the next meeting rolls around. One of my favorite parts about sports, and the part I most often defend, is the ability for it to connect to people on a human level. There is
briefs Archuleta starts radio show
Tracy Archuleta, head coach of the baseball team, is set to kick off his radio show this week with radio host Dan Egerski. Archuleta and Egerski will host the show at Pistons Bar & Resturant on Franklin Street. It will air on WEOA 98.5 FM/ 1400 AM. Archuleta will discuss college baseball and the USI team. Questions from the audience will also be answered. The show takes place Wednesday, March 28, April 11 and 25 and May 9.
Guy named All-American
Senior distance runner Johnnie Guy earned his 14th career AllAmerican honor.
The honor came after his performance during the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. He earned sixth place in the 3,000 meter race with his time of eight minutes 23.13 seconds. His time was less than two seconds behind the first place finish. He also finished third in the 5,000 meter race. Guy added three points to the men’s overall team score and helped it finish with 9 points. The team tied 26th in the final standings.
Stern earns GLVC honor Joel Stern was named Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Tennis Player of the Week. The senior led the tennis team in its win over Carson-Newman University with his 5-1 record for the match. This is the first time he has been
awarded a weekly honor. It is the first for USI tennis since Jack Joyce earned it April 7, 2015. The men’s tennis team is currently 5-3 overall with a 2-0 record at home.
with excitement, both for the team’s individual players and their families. The theme may be overplayed, but it matters. It shows parts of the team that don’t receive a focus on an average day. While it happens every year, it happens to different people every year. Different people with different stories. If you connect sports to human moments, it adds an impact that truly matters to people. Whether in sports, sports coverage or life in general, don’t shy away from moments because they seem overplayed. If you ignore them, people end up missing moments that matter for fear that they shouldn’t.
NOW HIRING
SPORTS WRITERS
Roberts earns All-American honor Sophomore Emily Roberts earned an 11th place finish in the women’s 5,000 meter race at the NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships. Roberts finished the race in 16 minutes 45.28 seconds. Her finish earned her second team All-American honors. She missed first-team All-American by almost 14 seconds. Roberts has earned multiple honors in her two years at USI, including GLVC Freshman of the Year and All-GLVC after the 2015 GLVC Championships.
more to sports than wins and losses. Whether it is from the court, sideline or stands, lessons come from sports. During a men’s basketball game, right before the end of the first half, head coach Rodney Watson looked at junior guard Bobo Drummond and said, “Wait until five (seconds) and go hard.” It was a little bit of strategy while also showing trust in Drummond’s ability and leadership. That small phrase gave a glimpse into the bond between coach and player. They give advice and provide strategy, but they have to trust the player to play. During the senior night game, there was a glimpse into that same bond. The same way every senior night opens that door. Those nights are charged
Apply online at usishield.com Email sports@usishield.com with any questions
2016 - 2017 Housing Renewal select your space March 22 - 31 Apply and contract before March 20 to receive earlier selection appointments. Current residents don’t miss out on the chance to pick the room you want! (as available) If you do not select space in March you will be able to select space in June after freshmen and transfer students.
Step 1: APPLY Fill out the application under the Housing tab in myUSI for the 2016-2017 academic year to let us know you are interested in living on campus. The application includes a $50 fee that is paid online.
Step 2: contract Do not wait! Sign your contract as soon as you apply! The contract includes a $200 pre-payment for the 2016-2017 academic year, *IMPORTANT NOTE* A housing contract is for the full academic year (Fall & Spring)!
Step 3: SElect You will receive a selection appointment via your USI email. Space selection under our new and improved self-assign process will be March 22 - 31!