Thursday, February 27, 2014 ■ Vol. 44 Issue 24
THE
SHIELD www.usishield.com
SMASH MOUTH SpringFest committee snags ‘All Star’ band By JAMES VAUGHN News editor Rumors spread – from J.T. and Beyoncé, to Maroon 5, to the Plain White T’s. A Sonny and Cher reunion was even joked about. But the USI SpringFest Executive Committee thought the “throwback” genre would suit more students. So the committee – a body of 10 to 15 students – in conjunction with the University of Evansville and the Ford Center, selected an “All Star” band. Smash Mouth will kick off the return of SpringFest with a performance April 11 at the Ford Center downtown. “In the past, students would know one or two songs and then they would be disappointed because they didn’t know more of it,” said Nick Mathis, committee co-director. “This fit very nicely into our throwback option.” The band, famous for the 90s hits “Walkin’ on the Sun,” “Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby” and a cover of The Monkee’s classic “I’m a Believer,” which was featured on the Shrek soundtrack, Smash Mouth continues to perform at small venues. “We wanted to do something that had never been done before,” said Jenny Wittstock, Student Development senior program adviser. “I was excited to hear we would have somebody most students would know,” CoDirector Collen Schenk said. The offer went out two weeks ago and was finalized Friday. The university reserved 1,000 floor seats. Tickets will go on sale Monday in the USI Campus Store and on the store’s website. “We wanted to give students that 24-hour access,” said Associate Provost for Student Affairs Marcia Kiessling, who oversaw the committee. Students can buy one non-student a ticket. Tickets will be on sale at the Ford Center’s box office, too. Students can pay with cash, check, credit or debit, but may not use their student accounts. “As long as you’re not using munch money, you should be OK,” Mathis said. The main act cost $35,000, with USI’s chunk coming from student fees. Love and Theft – a country music band famous for the songs “Angel Eyes” and “If You Ever Get Lonely” – will open the show. Kiessling said the university plans to offer transportation to and from the Ford Center, but the service will not be offered to non-students because of liability issues. The committee was formed last spring and members spent the academic year shuffling through artists, five of which fell through due to a scheduling overlap with the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California. *Visit usishield.com for Wednesday’s announcement reaction.
Cat plan advances YES NO
SGA
YES NO
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USI
By JAMES VAUGHN News editor
Student government supports TNR procedure By JAMES VAUGHN News editor The Student Government Association unanimously approved a symbolic resolution at its Feb. 20, meeting, which backs junior Audrey Maxwell’s proposed TNR (trap, neuter, return) policy. Maxwell said administrators told her the change.org “Trap Neuter Return USI Feral Cat Population” petition she created and gained over 400 signatures on wasn’t enough. She needed “official” student support. TNR is a method of trapping the cats, spaying or neutering them and returning them to the environment from which they were collected. Maxwell believes it would keep the stray cat population under control by stopping reproduction. She presented facts to the General Assembly. Some representatives questioned alternatives, but admitted they didn’t know much about feral cats.
“I have to go back to administration with the symbolic resolution and present my case to them again,” Maxwell said after the meeting. SGA Chief Justice Adam Brothers said a symbolic resolution is special because it means the resolution is supported by the entire student body. “This shows massive support for this cause,” he said. “It does not guarantee anything with the administration, but it certainly will not hurt.” He agreed actionable steps need to be taken to mitigate the issue. “I am very happy that SGA and its members could play such a vital role in helping a student try to solve an issue on campus,” Brothers said. “This is a perfect example of how students can actually make a change on campus and how SGA is here to help.” Aaron Gottman, SGA’s assistant Vice President for research and development, helped draft
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the resolution. “The cat issue has been a constant problem on this campus for years,” Gottman said. “I noticed these cats last year as a freshman, and other students know about this issue.” Gottman, who is also an active member in the Student Housing Association, said the problem was brought to his attention a few weeks ago. He wants the administration to know their students recognize a problem and want it resolved. He said he cares about the issue beyond a professional standpoint, having taken care of animals all of his life. “The fact of the matter is that students are scared - you can’t save a life like a little kitten without getting into trouble with the university,” Gottman said. Maxwell will meet with Vice President for Finance and Administration Mark Rozewski and then, depending on how that meeting goes, Stephen Helfrich,
facility operations and planning director, Marcia Kiessling, associate provost for student affairs, and Laurie Berry, housing a residence life director. “When I originally went to (Steve) Helfrich, I think he planned on me being deterred by him saying that it wasn’t going to work,” Maxwell said. “There had been multiple students who had brought this up before and had been brushed off by the administration, so he was basically meeting with me to tell me, ‘No.’” Maxwell said the administration in general doesn’t know much about TNR. “If the student body thought it was a good idea - if the students were interested in it, then they would consider it,” Maxwell said. “But not beforehand.” Twice a year, grounds workers set up box traps to catch and send cats to animal control, where they are likely euthanized Maxwell hopes to start CATS on Pg. 3
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County OKs funding The Vanderburgh County Commissioners approved funding to pay USI’s lifeguards during Burdette Park’s lifeguard training April 13, at the Physical Activities Center Pool. The university will waive the rental fee, as it’s done the past few years. But the county is responsible for the $7.50 an hour it costs to have a lifeguard on duty during the training. “It’s too cold to hold it at the pool,” Burdette Park Director Steve Craig said during Tuesday night’s meeting at the Civic Center. Craig said it would only cost the county about $35. “It’s very gracious of USI to allow us to do this,” President Joe Kiefer said. “They’ve done it several years in a row, and we appreciate that. So with that said, I vote yes.” Commissioner Stephen Melcher also voted yes. Marsha Abell was absent. “Usually it’s such a great deal for us that it’s not a big, debatable item,” Kiefer said. The university made last week’s agenda, too. The commission approved a $25,000 contribution to the free shuttle service linking USI’s campus to Evansville. The FUNDING on Pg. 3
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