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T h u r s d a y, S e p t e m b e r 1 , 2 0 1 6 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | v o l . 4 7 i s s u e 3
ʻEVERY INTENT OF BEING OPENʼ Updated policy introduces new areas for speech, expressive activities
Illustration by Philip Kuhns & Photos by Jessica stallings | The Shield
The university has updated its policy regarding areas on campus which are designated for “speech and expressive activities.” The locations are the lawn area south of Rice Library, the lawn area between the Physical Activities Center and the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center and the lawn in front of the Health Professions Building. The three areas combined are approximately 1.6 acres of the 1,400 acre campus.
by gabi wy features@usishield.com @GabiCWy
Freshman Shelby Heins said having zones specific for free speech wasn’t something she would expect to have on a college campus. “We’re paying to go here,” the nursing major said. “So our thoughts should be heard.” As a new student, Heins and several other freshman said they didn’t know about the university’s policy on free speech, which was most recently updated in August. The updated policy, which is labeled F9 in the University Handbook on USI’s website, eradicates what was known as the Free Speech Zone and creates three new zones for “speech and expressive activities.” Because of the Fuquay Welcome Center construction, the original Free Speech Zone between the Performance Center and the Orr Center will
no longer be usable. A committee led by Kindra Strupp, director of Marketing and Communications, decided to replace that zone with three new locations. The locations are the lawn area south of Rice Library, the lawn area between the Physical Activities Center and the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center and the lawn in front of the Health Professions Building. Whether student organizations or unsponsored speakers, the university requires individuals or groups seeking to use these spaces to get permission through the Dean of Students Office. “I don’t like that you have to ask permission,” Heins said. “But maybe it makes sense if the speech gets to a point where it’s offensive.” While several students The Shield spoke with brought up the concept of college being a more “safe space” than the “real world,” Dean of Students Bryan Rush said he hopes students’ views are challenged on campus.
He said that might mean they take offense to something said in a protest, and that offense could benefit students in the long run. “I hope students don’t live in a bubble,” Rush said. “We encourage them to be the ones who regulate the conversation if they’re offended.” Rush said while the concrete changes in the policy are the new zone locations, he and the committee that worked on the policy spent much time on the “philosophical” portion explaining the university’s intent in having the policy. “While we don’t limit free speech, it changes when it turns into a personal attack,” he said. “Our central focus is to have the ability to have civil conversations. That doesn’t necessarily mean ‘nice’ all the time.” Permission is required for anyone to use the three designated areas, and Rush said even if that was not clearly articulated in the older policy, the process of registering to use spaces has “always been in place.”
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Fraternity’s New fee hard to see ‘steady progress’ Students pay more for activities without notification recognized by gabi wy
by Gabi wy
features@usishield.com @GabiCWy
features@usishield.com @GabiCWy
Junior John Mathews didn’t know the student activity fee doubled this fall, and he said he’d have liked to be notified. Over the summer, the Board of Trustees approved the doubling of the student activity fee after a spring proposal pushed by Student Government Association. The increase is visible if a student looks at his or her bill via MyUSI, but there is no indication of the change otherwise. The previously $50 student activity fee was designated to fund specific organizations or campus activities, such as USI theatre, athletics, Activities Programming Board and SGA. Portions of the fee also funded the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center and campus services such as the bus system. As of now, the distribution of the increased fee has
When Daniel Nickens joined Sigma Pi in 2014, he said the fraternity was “on the cusp” of something greater. This summer, the USI chapter of Sigma Pi received the Grand Chapter Award at the fraternity’s convocation ceremony in Las Vegas. This award is given to the 25 highest-ranking chapters nationwide. Nickens, the fraternity’s treasurer, attended the convocation and said the experience of accepting the award was validating. “It gives you a sense of being involved in something greater than yourself,” the senior electrical engineering major said. “Getting recognized by headquarters made us feel like all the hard work we’ve been doing for the past two years meant something.” USI’s chapter, known as
Photo by The Shield
Quinn Musgrave, a computer information majors, climbs the rock wall in the RFWC during Rock the Rec last year. The Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center is one of the many programs which benefits from the student activity fee.
not been determined. Mathews said if the now $100 fee could result in more funding more smaller organizations such as
Esports and the Tabletop Club, he’d have less objection to paying it. “I don’t go to sports events and sometimes I
go to events if there’s free food, but for the most part, I’m just in clubs,” the accounting major said.
student activity fee, PAGE 5
Theta-Psi, scored at the 93 percent level of efficiency based on evaluations from headquarters. This score gives the chapter a silver rating. Two years prior, the chapter received a bronze, 87 percent efficiency rating. Nickens said he’s seen so much improvement within his time with the fraternity that he has high expectations for the group in the future. “With the current trajectory, we will be running for the top fraternity award (next award cycle,)” he said. “It’s possible. I don’t think that’s a far-fetched dream.” Both Nickens and chapter president Alexander Davis said one of the top goals for Sigma Pi is improving the fraternity’s average GPA. Davis said to be in a fraternity, the university requires students to have a 2.6 GPA. He said Sigma Pi’s chapter average usually falls around that number, but he and other board members are pushing to improve.
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Strupp said it wouldn’t be a bad idea to consolidate the documents, but it would take time. By following the scheduling policy, Strupp said the university can properly notify Public Safety if there needs to be officer presence at a demonstration. “We need to know who’s planning on coming to campus,” she said. “It is certainly not based on what a group wants to say.” She said when picking three new places on campus for “expressive activity,” the committee she headed needed to find visible locations without obstructing traffic or university functions. “We wanted to provide more opportunities with three locations, areas at which we can converse,” Strupp said. “There’s no magical number to three, it’s just what we could find on campus.” While she and Rush said the multiple locations would open up more scheduling times and prevent doublebooking, neither said actual scheduling conflicts for the previous zone led to the creation of three. Strupp said while the pre-
Maintaining the ‘decor’ Last October, senior Lauren Abney held a silent counter protest in the Free Speech Zone after Students for Life hosted an antiPlanned Parenthood demonstration in the Quad. While student organizations can use the three designated areas, university-registered groups are eligible to schedule areas such as the University Center or the Quad, which would have more traffic than the three zones. Because Abney and the two other students in her demonstration were not affiliated with a campus organization, they were limited to just the Free Speech Zone. Abney said the process of registering to use the area wasn’t clear to her. “I wasn’t given specific directions to contact DOSO until after I talked to a second professor,” Abney said. “They didn’t respond until the morning of to tell me I was supposed to be escorted to the Free Speech Zone.” Although the process was unfamiliar to Abney, she said she didn’t feel any of the procedure was unfair. Abney said she hopes with three areas for free speech as opposed to one, more organizations or students will use them. “I believe people that learn (here) are allowed to express and challenge ideas and beliefs, so long as it is done appropriately,” Abney said. While the policy of registering was unclear for students like Abney, Strupp said “there has always been a registration policy.” The process of reserving space on campus was not mentioned in versions of the free speech policies, but the policy specifically for campus organizations is articulated within the Student Handbook. If students seek to use the zones, information needed for proper use and scheduling is spread between the student and university handbooks. Both documents are accessible from the university website, but they are on different sections of the website without link to each other.
Infographic by Sarah loesch | The Shield
The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) has given USI a red speech code rating. The red rating is given to universities “who have at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech,” according to the FIRE website. The first policy, Civil Rights and Sexual Misconduct, is considered red light because it gives too broad a definition of harassment. The second policy, the social media guidelines within the Student Handbook prohibits anything someone could consider uncivil. Azhar Majeed, an author at FIRE, said even if someone finds something rude, it is still possibly protected under the First Amendment.
If you are... a registered student organization or a sponsored speaker
you can use... designated areas
quad
a non-registered student group an unsponsored speaker Infographic by Jessica Stallings | The Shield
Registered student organizations and sponsored speakers have the opportunity to use the Quad. Anyone seeking to use any of the areas must register with the Dean of Students Office and/or scheduling services.
USI Security Incident Log 08/23/16 - 08/29/16 Fire - False Alarm(Construction or Other Means) Ralston Bldg - 830A McDonald Ln. 8/23/16 3:19 p.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking McNutt Bldg - 7922B OʼDaniel Ln. 6/23/16 6:25 p.m. Code of Conduct Tampering With Emergency Protection Equipment McNutt Bldg - 7922B OʼDaniel Ln. 8/23/16 6:25 p.m. Drug Offenses - Drugs Possession Willard Bldg - 974 Varsity Dr. 8/23/16 6:36 p.m. Drug Offenses - Drugs - Manufacture/Possession of Paraphernalia Willard Bldg - 974 Varsity Dr. 8/23/16 6:36 p.m. Fire - Faulty Alarm OʼDaniel North Apartments Schricker Bldg 8/23/16 7:49 p.m. Illness Report Wallace Bldg - 8068 OʼDaniel Ln. 8/23/16 10:36 p.m. Code of Conduct - Deception/ Falsification/Misrepresentation McDonald West Apartments - McCray Bldg 8/24/16 9:21 a.m. Traffic Accident - Hit & Run Parking Lot B 8/24/16 2:56 p.m. Code of Conduct - Deception/ Falsification/Misrepresentation McDonald West Apartments - McCray Bldg 8/24/16 2:57 p.m. Fire - Faulty Alarm OʼDaniel North Apartments Bowen Bldg 8/24/16 8:21 p.m.
to as such in the policy and shouldn’t be. “(‘Free Speech Zone’) is
vious area was called the “Free Speech Zone,” the new areas are not referred
Property Damage - University Bennett Lane 8/24/16 10:32 p.m. Illness Report Orr Center 8/25/16 8:47 a.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking Marshall Bldg - 940B Eckels Ln. 8/25/16 5:22 p.m. Fire - False Alarm(Construction or Other Means) Hanly Bldg - 916A McDonald Ln. 8/25/16 6:53 p.m. Code of Conduct - Tobacco Smoking Hanly Bldg - 916A McDonald Ln. 8/25/16 6:53 p.m. Illness Report Business and Engineering Center 8/25/16 7:32 p.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking Boon Bldg - 8025B OʼDaniel Ln. 8/25/16 7:52 p.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking Marshall Bldg - 926B Eckels Ln. 8/26/16 9:54 a.m. Illness Report Health Professions Center 8/26/16 11:21 a.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking Townsend Bldg - 7936A OʼDaniel Ln. 8/26/16 8:05 p.m. Code of Conduct - Tampering With Emergency Protection Equipment Townsend Bldg - 7936A OʼDaniel Ln. 8/25/16 8:05 p.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking Boon Bldg - 8025B OʼDaniel Ln. 8/27/16 2:27 p.m.
Fire - Faulty Alarm Orr Center 8/28/16 2:03 a.m. Illness Report 305 OʼBannon Hall 8/28/16 2:22 a.m. Fire - False Alarm(Construction or Other Means) McDonald West Apartments McCray Bldg 8/28/16 10:29 a.m. Intimidation Public Safety Building 8/28/16 12:40 p.m. Code of Conduct - Disruption Roommate Dispute Public Safety Building 8/28/16 12:40 p.m. Alcohol Offenses - Alcohol Underage Possession Public Safety Building 8/28/16 12:40 p.m. Traffic Accident Parking Lot J 8/28/16 8:18 p.m. Traffic Accident University Blvd. 8/28/16 9:25 p.m.
The Student’s Rights portion of the student handbook is the one university policy rated green through FIRE. This portion states students have the right to a free exchange of ideas and no university policy can disrupt that. “On the one hand it’s nice to see the university has a nod to free speech in its policy,” FIRE author Azhar Majeed said. “But that promise is somewhat abandoned when there are free speech zones.” Majeed said that since the organization has never had a case against the university it seems that there is a respect of students’ free speech rights in practice. “It’s a matter of taking that practice and putting it into the policy,” he said.
a lot more limited, and that’s not what we’re looking for,” she said. “We want students to know that we are an advocate for free speech. The university in no way wants to limit or dampen speech, but we do need to maintain the decor of the university.” Regulating vs. restricting Sophomore Jessica Coleman said the new locations don’t have the same traffic as the previous Free Speech Zone. “It’s not as ideal for organizations or speakers,” she said. “They can’t get their words out as much.” Coleman said the entire idea of free speech zones on a college campus is “odd,” but the policy for registration isn’t “bad.” “Since the university owns the property, they can regulate what goes on,” the sophomore biochemistry and German double major said. “It’s like, ‘my house, my rules.’” The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) evaluates schools across the nations and policies possibly affecting free speech on college campus-
SGA talks plans for 2016 Projects include Squawk the Vote, campaign against sexual assault by riley Guerzini rguerzini@eagles.usi.edu
Student Government Association discussed future events, such as a campaign against sexual assault and an event focusing on racial tensions, at its first meeting Aug. 25. SGA president Ashley Wright and Administrative Vice President for Social and Cultural Issues Christina Lutes will lead the campaign against sexual assault scheduled for Nov. 8-13. Wright said the campaign has been high on her agenda. “It’s one of the things that I care passionately about,” said Wright. “(Lutes) and I will be working very closely with that, so hopefully everything will go smoothly.” Wright said another important affair for SGA is its
role in encouraging voter registration for the upcoming election. From Sept. 22-24, SGA will be set up in the Quad asking students to participate in the elections on Nov. 4. The tabling will contribute to the university-wide effort for voter registration known as “Squawk the Vote.” “I feel that as much as young people speak about politics and voice their opinions about it, a lot of people aren’t doing what they need to get out vote,” Andrew Ramsey, administrative vice president for government relations, said. “I think this is helpful to them so they don’t have to say, ‘Well, I have to go here or I have to go there,’ because we will have the registration forms right there for them.” Ramsey said a similar
Welfare Check 305 OʼBannon Hall 8/29/16 12:00 a.m. Illness Report 305 OʼBannon Hall 8/29/16 12:00 a.m. Property Damage - Other Clarke Ln. 8/29/16 1:42 p.m. Illness Report Health Professions Center 8/29/16 4:24 p.m.
Fire - False Alarm(Construction or Other Means) 104 Ruston Hall 8/27/16 7:34 p.m.
Information gathered from USIʼs Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.
es. Based on nine policies, FIRE gave USI a red light rating for its policies concerning free speech. FIRE’s website states this evaluation was last updated Aug. 25. A red light rating means USI has “at least one policy that both clearly and substantially restricts freedom of speech.” Strupp said the university is aware of FIRE’s evaluation and considered some of its points in creating the policy update. “This policy now reflects our university and who we strive to be,” she said. “The language (in the policy now) is what this organization recognizes as green light in their vernacular.” Strupp said she hopes people with different opinions feel welcome on campus. “These policies are living documents, and as our world changes, we’ll need to look at these policies and reflect those changes,” she said. “We have every intent of being open as a university. The campus is open for speech.”
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voter registration event was held on campus back in 2004. SGA was able to get over 250 students registered to vote. The goal for September is 1000 students. Wright also noted mounting racial issues across the country, and said SGA hopes to create a dialogue on campus that will reduce racial divides and bring the USI community closer together. “The Counseling Center did something similar over the summer in Carter Hall and they did roundtable discussions, so we kind of want to play off of that,” she said. “We do want to keep it an open discussion between all the USI students, faculty and staff so we can better understand what’s going on in the world right now and just kind of bounce ideas off of each other.”
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Features
The shield | September 1, 2016 | Usishield.com
Phi-K raises $6,500 for ALS research
Photo by Jordan Auker | The Shield
Zach Price and Leo Scheller cross the finish line of the inaugural Phi-K. The race was both a 5k and a one mile walk and all of the proceeds went toward funding research for ALS.
by Riley Guerzini rguerzini@eagles.usi.edu
Students and community members from all over the Evansville area came out August 27 to participate in Phi Delta Theta’s inaugural Phi-K. With about 80 participants, the fraternity was able to raise $6,500 to support amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research. The fraternity had an original goal of $10,000. “We had 81 signed up
Sigma pi award
online previously since the spring and I expected at least 30 to 40 today, but since it rained yesterday, the turnout is not really as good as the numbers show,” Phi-K coordinator Zachary Floyd said. Registration began at 8:30 in front of the USI Baseball Field, which is also where the race started and finished. Members of the fraternity set up tents near the starting line, helping contestants sign up and offering them water and fruit for when they finished.
Much of the course went off-road through trails and even the Frisbee golf course. Other than the rain, Floyd said the event ran smoothly and was pleased with the outcome of the race. Students attended the PhiK for reasons ranging from competitive spirit to hanging out with friends. “(I decided to attend for) exercise, and I know a couple of people that have ALS, so just to raise money as well,” nursing major Jennifer Webster said.
Webster said it was not her first 5-K, but she does not normally run them except to raise money or run with friends. Sophomore engineering major Josh Graber took part in the race, because he wanted to run with a friend. Despite his friend being unable to attend the race as originally planned, Garber still wanted to participate. Graber, a cross-country runner in high school, has run many 5-Ks before, but this was his first since his se-
nior year. He said it depends the type of run if he prefers to run alone or with friends. “I kind of like running with friends and family, but if I’m going to be competing, I would kind of like to be by myself,” he said. Despite falling below the original $10,000 goal, Floyd said the race was a success and the group plans to continue it in the future.
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Sigma Pi members Sergio Stroud, Ace Ervick and Cody Likens compete in a tug of war event against other fraternities during Greek Week last semester. Their fraternity received the Grand Chapter Award this summer at Sigma Pi’s national Convocation.
“We’re requiring members to do study hours,” Nickens said. “There will be a lot more accountability because the hours will be logged through academic skills.” He said if recruitment of new members increases the fraternity size and the average GPA rises to above a 3.0, their chapter could definitely contend for the top award, or the Grand Sage’s Cup. “We’ve been making steady progress,” he said. “These (improvements) usually take maybe 10 years, but we’ve made them in shorter. We see these challenges, and we execute.” Davis, a senior history major, said Sigma Pi’s current state is about equivalent to that of fraternity Lambda Chi Alpha about a year ago. Lambda Chi Alpha received a top chapter award at their national gathering also this summer, and Davis said he wants to get to that point.
“Within three years, we went from being really unstructured to being structured,” he said. “I feel like I rushed a different fraternity than the one I’m president of now.”
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chairmen,” he said. “You can have as many chairmen in (an organization) as you want, but if you sit there and do nothing, what’s the point?” He and Nickens both said
Dispel all the prior notions of a fraternity. Think of it as a bunch of people who have similar interests who pull money together to do cool things they aren’t otherwise able to do. -Alexander Davis Senior history major and member of Sigma Pi
Davis said he focuses on making members professionals and giving them active leadership positions. “I like to empower my
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because of Sigma Pi’s leadership as well as its consistent growth, the fraternity offers unique opportunities for anyone seeking involve-
ment. “Dispel all of the prior notions of a fraternity,” Nickens said. “Think of it as a bunch of people who have similar interests who pull money together to do cool things they aren’t otherwise able to do.” Sigma Pi is currently planning a comedy improvisation fundraiser this fall called “Fraturday Night Live” slated for November, alongside other new projects still in development. The fraternity is also involved with campus landscaping or building renovations every fall and a car show fundraiser every spring. “If you’re interested in being part of the excellence on campus, Sigma Pi’s a great fit,” Nickens said. “Sigma Pi has a lot of untapped potential that new members would be able to unlock with us.”
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The curious case of love English faculty write, direct romantic comedy
Photo courtesy of brian simpson
Christina Hauger (Thalia), Jim Hunter (Tim), Melissa Henning (Sonia), and Devin Victoria McBride (Charlotte) rehearse a scene from “The Conversation of the Keys.” Hunter is also directing the play.
by nick leighty ndleighty@eagles.usi.edu
Evansville Civic Theatre’s main stage is usually reserved for family friendly plays, but their next production is anything but. Instructor in English Alice Shen kicks off the Civic Theatre’s Underground Series with her play “The Conversation About the Keys.” The production contains adult language, open flame, and simulated alcohol and cigarette use. The play will have a two-weekend run at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays, running from September 2-4 and 9-11 at Evansville Civic Theater’s main stage. Tickets will cost $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Shen began working on “The Conversation About the Keys” for her Master’s thesis at Virginia Tech in 2009. She wanted to make a play about relationships inspired by real events. “I think it was around the time ‘How I Met Your Mother’ started, so I definitely wanted to write a romantic comedy,” Shen said. She said she feels her life is a part of the romantic comedy genre, and the play will include some personal experiences. “The Conversation About the Keys” follows Tim and his fianceé Thalia as they reflect on the transience of love despite all
student activity fee He said Esports and Tabletop aren’t receiving any university funding, and their equipment is paid for out of pocket by its members or even recent graduates who want to see the organizations succeed. “If this increase helps student organizations and isn’t a ploy to get more money, it’s a good thing,” Mathews said. “But it doesn’t help otherwise.” Financial Officer Aaron McCullough brought the idea of an increased student activity fee to SGA and after discussion with the general assembly, he presented the proposal of a mandatory, $100 fee to Steve Bridges, vice president for Finance and Administration. “We looked at a lot of schools and at a $50 student fee, we had the lowest,” the graduate business administration student said. “We hope with (the increase) we can give more organizations operational money.” Since the fee’s exact purposes have yet to be determined, McCullough said in partnership with administration, he hopes he can communicate with student leaders from a variety of organizations so the funding is distributed to more groups that need it.
efforts to make it last. It is composed of two companion one-acts: one story followed by sequel combined into one production. The first one-act will tackle the question of “What makes love disappear?” and will have both Tim and Thalia reflect on their experiences. The second one-act will address the issue of “What happens after love is gone?” While at Virginia Tech, it was given a workshop production and has had small line revisions before handing the script over to the Evansville Civic Theatre earlier this year. English instructor Jim Hunter will be directing the play after successfully directing “Bug” by Tracy Letts. Hunter has worked with Evansville Civic Theatre for 2.5 years and said it has been a dream of his to get “The Conversation About the Keys” on that stage. Hunter said his work with “Bug” garnered enough acclaim to bring this production to the theater. “I think ‘The Conversation About the Keys’ an incredibly strong play,” Hunter said. “This is a cynical, nihilistic romance, and I think we need more of that. It’s a romantic comedy that isn’t all that romantic.” The play will kick off the Underground Series, which contains edgier material and more adult sub-
FASt FACTS What: When: Where: Cost:
“The Conversation About the Keys” September 2 - 4 and 9 -11, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Evansville Civic Theatre’s main stage Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door
Stranger Things is worth the study break Streaming on Netflix now Nothing beats the classics in film and television, and this summer’s newly added Netflix thriller “Stranger Things” is guaranteed to become one show that will never get old with time. “Stranger Things” is set in 1983 in a small town of Indiana (which right off the bat intrigued me as I am originally from a small town in southern Indiana) where a local 12-year-old boy named Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) mysteriously goes missing due to supernatural circumstances. The show follows Byers’ stubborn mother (Winona Ryder), quiet brother, quirky three best friends and the town’s alcoholic police chief. They investigate Will’s disappearance and outrun a lethal government facility hiding dangerous experiments in order to try to find the missing boy. If the title and premise don’t draw you in, then simply watching the first episode should do the trick. This show has plenty to give. Just to name a few, “Stranger Things” includes wonderful actors that bring their characters to life, a thrilling plotline that never slows down for too long, a glimpse of life in the 1980s, clever hints of foreshadowing and clues sprinkled throughout the episodes and many emotion-stirring scenes. The show is very clever and charming and offers something for everyone. Seriously, I love this show. It’s too bad there are only eight episodes in the first season; but hey, at least the second season has been confirmed. One of my favorite parts of “Stranger Things” was the relationships between characters. Instead of the usual forced chemistry and trying-too-
hard humor between characters I usually see in entertainment, the actors all had great chemistry. All of the actors delivered their characters’ emotions perfectly. I nearly found myself crying at the raw grief Will’s mother displayed as she struggled to find her son. I laughed in pretty much all the scenes between Will’s three best friends: Mike, Dustin, and Lucas. They were such charming little kids, and it was hard not to feel admiration at their bravery and determination to find their friend. Not to mention how they wanted to protect a strange little girl named Eleven who later walks into their lives, holding the keys to all of their unanswered questions. I binge-watched this show with my roommates, and we were yelling and gasping at the TV in nearly every episode. If you’re looking for a refreshing and charming new show to watch, I definitely recommend “Stranger Things.” Whenever you have time between classes, or even if you’re taking a study break, I highly encourage people to log onto Netflix, and to see what all the hype is about for this show. Trust me, it’s worth the watch. 5/5 stars
Rating 5/5 BY darrian breedlove
Photo courtesy of brian simpson
Christina Hauger (Thalia) and Jim Hunter (Tim) practice before official performances of “The Conversation of the Keys.” The play opens Sept. 2 at the Evansville Civic Theatre.
jects than the main stage’s usual productions. “I feel smarter and more awake and alive to life experience when I’m done reading ‘The Conversation
About the Keys’,” Hunter said. “There’s a certain degree of wisdom to this and I hope after watching it others will feel the same.”
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I don’t want this to be just SGA. I want this to be a discussion with everybody. -Aaron McMullough SGA Financial Officer
“I don’t want this to be just SGA,” he said. “I want this to be a discussion with everybody.” McCullough said he hopes students on campus can see a positive impact from the fee as more time passes and organizations can improve programming with more funding. “It’s going to be a good thing,” he said. “Whatever your passion is at USI, hopefully there can be some money there.” Bridges said even before McCullough brought up SGA’s proposal, administration was already discussing the student activity fee. He said $50 fee hadn’t been raised since July 2012, and administration was considering a $75 fee increase.
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However, when McCullough showed him the list of other schools’ fees in comparison to USI’s, Bridges said he saw the benefits in a $100 fee. “This will be a more noticeable difference to what’s being done on campus,” Bridges said. “We decided this made sense, and these dollars will only be going to fund student items.” He said he hopes that leaders within SGA like McCullough as well as President Ashley Wright will communicate with other student organizations to determine what will make the biggest impact. Bridges said it will not be an automatic increase for all existing funds.
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“This (year) will be a review process to reallocate the funds (from the $50 fee),” Bridges said. “In subsequent years, there will be more of a monitoring and tweaking process as we become knowledgeable to what students want.” Neither Bridges nor McCullough had a specific time frame in which all funding allocations would be determined, but Bridges said the money from the fee will be available to start helping organizations or events this semester. “This won’t be decided by a few,” he said. “We’re all on board to use the dollars efficiently and solely for the students.”
AMC: A glistening shrine to movies The AMC movie theater location on Pearl Drive spent most of the summer at limited capacity during a major remodel. Now that the AMC is firing on all cylinders I felt obliged to review the new additions, as now one can essentially get the experience of Showplace Cinema’s Royal Suite for a fraction of the cost and still get a better movie-going experience. For those who have never heard of the Royal Suite, check out my review on usishield.com. The basic idea of the Suite was to ape the Alamo Drafthouse format of an “adult” movie experience, in which high quality seats, alcohol and food were made available to moviegoers. Showplace implemented this idea with a $14 ticket price. From the perspective of a consumer, it seems AMC looked at that model, laughed sarcastically and dedicated a few months of construction to present a higher quality version of this idea for, at most, $5.99 per ticket. Gone are the overly optimistic three concession stands the local AMC has had since opening day, relics of a bygone era in which someone genuinely believed Evansville had enough moviegoers to necessitate three popcorn machines running around the clock. In their place is, well, a normal concession stand but beefed up to dish out some additional treats, including chicken strips and pizza. Customers can now get their massive doses of soda through two conveniently placed Coke Freestyle machines, meaning literally any flavor combination of any Coca-Cola product
is available, for better or worse. Also, a bar adorably named “MacGuffin’s” (a uber-nerdy showbiz reference I would appreciate more if AMC didn’t tell you what MacGuffin’s refers to on every damned surface with the name) has just opened up, allowing any of-age moviegoer to stock up on a heavily priced mix drink before suffering through the next Adam Sandler flop or cynical Michael Bay adaptation of a Hasbro toy. The ticket-buying process has been streamlined with three giant touchscreens eliminating three of the cash registers. All screenings are now assigned seating, but for good reason: every single seat in AMC has been replaced with an electronic recliner. No longer will sitting next to strangers in public be awkward, as these new recliners come in sets of two. As long as customers have at least one friend available, they will never know the feeling of being awkwardly groped by a stranger’s butter-coated fingers. As much as I like to support local companies, AMC to Showplace is not like paying several cents more to feel better about where beef comes from. For less than half the price I get a better moviegoing experience as the norm, not as a luxury item. Every theater within a 50-mile radius will have to step up their game if they want to compete with this glistening shrine to movies.
Rating 4.5/5 BY gavin gaddis
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Opinion
The shield | September 1, 2016 | Usishield.com
illustration by Philip kuhns | The Shield
Social media: a double-edged sword by brandon cole bscole@eagles.usi.edu
Social media is a tool. If one is able to continuously evolve in the mechanics, accomplishments are limitless. The problem is, too many people use social media to expose their Achilles heel. If you go out and have a few too many drinks, you could wind up a Facebook meme, or an embarrassing vine. Everybody has a smart phone and everyone is capable of making dumb decisions. When you apply for a job, employers often check your social media. The same can be said for dating. What kind of
person does your social media represent? Could it be costing you a decent boyfriend or girlfriend? Could it be costing you money or a promotion at work? Laremy Tunsil was a top-five NFL prospect just before the 2016 draft took place. The Ole Miss left tackle lost more than $8 million when his Twitter account was hacked. A video surfaced, where Tunsil was wearing a gasmask bong, just minutes before the first pick was announced. While there was no evidence he was smoking marijuana, one could make their assumption. Tunsil slipped to the
13th pick, overall. You may say it wasn’t his fault because he was hacked. However, it was his decision to do the act in the video. Sitting behind a keyboard gives some people courage to say things they normally would not. Mix that with some liquid courage or herbal inebriation and you may post something you wish you hadn’t. Sure you can delete it when you wake up in the morning with a dry mouth and a throbbing headache, but what about all the people that took screen shots? Nearly everyone uses social media. Remember it is a tool and can be used
for good or bad. So, announce your engagement, accomplishment, etc., but put the phone down and turn off the computer if you are not in the right state of mind. Share common likes and bring people together, but remember what you put out in social media could very well come back to haunt you. People with advanced computer skills can recover photos or posts, even if they have been deleted. Someone could use your image or your words on another website without your approval. Voyeurism is real and hackers can use your social media posts for blackmail, kid-
napping or even assault. Safety is an issue to people when they are entering large groups. With terrorist attacks, up to date information can save lives. People tweeting about suspicious activity, loud noise and active shooters can detour potential victims. Friends may see the warning and call or text the person in danger. On the other hand, social media allows you to see both sides of a current event debate. If you only hear one side of the story, it may be difficult to make an informed decision. People that hear from both sides have a more complete view.
THE
Ignorance isn’t Put the phone down SHIELD innocence Editorial Board
by sarah rogers
sgrogers@eagles.usi.edu
by megan thorne opinion@usishield.com @MeganRThorne
It was a Saturday afternoon and I was trying to talk to my friend about the news I saw that morning. The whole time she would say things like “You can’t trust that,” “How do you know this?” “Why does it matter?” or completely ignore the important facts of the story. We have a very sarcastic friendship so I thought she was just joking around, until I asked her “Do you even pay attention to the news?” “No, I hate the news.” I thought my heart had stopped. I couldn’t believe my friend openly admitted she hates learning about what is happening around the world because she “prefers to stay innocent.” It isn’t innocence though, it’s ignorance. I do not watch the news everyday. I admit it’s hard to find time to sit down and catch up, but social media is at our fingertips now. You can go on Facebook and see major news headlines from anywhere in the world. Twitter and Snapchat both provide immediate platforms for news. I asked her “Do you follow any news organizations?” She quickly replied “No, I don’t like it on my newsfeed.” I’ll admit I was questioning our friendship at that point, but she isn’t the only one who is guilty for doing this. How can you have an
opinion if you don’t have the slightest clue about what is happening? My friend told me that day, the only reason I care so much about the news is because I’m a journalism major. But that’s not the only reason. There are so many things happening in our world right now; the presidential election, war, discrimination and controversial topics. All of which you can’t have an educated opinion on if you aren’t informed. I’m not saying you should watch five different news channels, follow every news organization and read five newspapers a day. But please stay informed and stay educated. A couple of weeks ago, I was watching a video where people would quiz others on information I assumed people should know. They asked who the secretary of state is, what the House of Representatives is and the roles of the president. There were blank faces. They then asked who the vice president is and very few could answer. These answers are plastered on TV, social media, sometimes as soon as I open Twitter I see a post from CNN about where Obama visited that weekend. It’s staring at us, but we still turn a blind eye. Philosopher Wayne Dyer once said, “The ultimate ignorance is the rejection of something you know nothing about and refuse to investigate.” Change it.
I recently attended a Cleveland Indians game, my first major league baseball game. My expectations for the game were loosely based on movies I’d seen which took place in the 50s. Baseball in the 50s was something like this: everyone in the stands had their eyes glued to the field and little kids would lose their minds as they watched their idols in real life. As I write this, I feel nostalgic for a time I was not even alive for. I realize the 50s have been romanticized, a little by my generation, but mostly by my parents generation. I realize the 50s were full of issues. I realized as my family and I adjusted ourselves in the stands, the atmosphere at a baseball game in 2016 was in left field compared to what I expected. Did you see what I did there? I said left field because, you know, I am writing about baseball— hilarious. Directly to the right of me, two people were Snapchatting; their attention drawn from the field toward the filters that altered their faces. However, what inspired me to write this story was not the puppies on my right, but the father who was sitting with his twin sons directly in front of me. I watched the father as he led his sons to their seats, apparently by using the force because neither son looked up from their
mobile devices once. It was clear from the father’s face he was excited he had brought his sons to the game hoping that they would enjoy it like he once did as a boy. I got lost in a daydream imagining how this father probably never had the opportunity to go to a real game as a kid. I imaged him as a little kid with wire glasses who had his baseball cards memorized and alphabetized in pristine condition. I imaged that he thought he would give his sons the dream he never got to live. He forgot, however, that his sons had grown up in 2016. I don’t think I saw either twin look up but once. Both boys had their own phones and were playing game after game. I watched as their father’s face turned from excitement to disappointment. I think each boy asked fifteen times each how long it was until they could leave. I realize it is a little hypocritical of me to be writing about how these boys weren’t paying attention to the game when I myself was busy observing the family in front of me instead of watching the game. My purpose in writing this is not to put a negative light on the use of technology or the ones that use it. Technology is an important tool that enabled us to accomplish far greater feats than anyone could have imagined. My hang up is simply that in an effort to connect
us to many people from all over the world, it ironically seems to disconnect us from the people right next to us. I realize you have probably heard this whole spiel before, and most of it probably came from your parents. However, there is something to be said about their perspective. Your parents came from a very different world than you. They have seen the drastic change that technology has had on every single aspect of life. That is not an exaggeration—I hope you realize that. According to George Houston’s article on Counsel and Heal: Mental Health, Social media usage has wired our brains in such a way that enables them to quickly switch from one thing to the next. However, for other aspects of life, not pertaining to technology, this adaptation makes it more difficult to focus on one task and ultimately makes us less efficient. Your parents are more aware of technology and its effects, while you, on the other hand, have grown up with it as a second nature. Instead of blowing off your parents as clueless, take heed to what they say. Technology is wonderful and crucial to our lives, However, it should never jeopardize the qualities of life that make this world a pretty great place.
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Sports
The shield | Septmeber 1, 2016 | Usishield.com
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‘Treat them like it’s Division I’ Soccer coach discusses coaching philosophy, start to season
Photo by megan Baggett | The Shield
Taylor Stevens, assistant coach for the women’s soccer team, works with senior goalkeeper Courtney Lofland. Stevens is entering her first year as assistant coach of the women’s soccer team.
by megan thorne opinion@usishield.com @MeganRThorne
After graduation Taylor Stevens knew she wanted soccer to be a part of her life. Stevens graduated in the spring from Murray State University and is now the assistant coach of the women’s soccer team. “Coaching was pretty much the closest thing I could do (to playing the game),” she said. Stevens said she enjoys seeing the development the team has made since practices began a few weeks ago. “I graduated from a Division I program so we are giving the team the attitude that isn’t for a Division II program,” Stevens said. “We treat them like it’s Division I and they are held to the highest standard.” Stevens said she started playing soccer when she was 8-years-old and since then she went on to play travel soccer and semi-professional until
Baseball to hold walk-on meeting
The baseball team will hold a meeting Sept. 7 for potential walk-ons for the 2017 season. The meeting will take place at 3 p.m. at the USI Baseball Field. Any player interested must be enrolled full time at the university. For more information contact assistant coach Jeremy Kuester at 812-4651123.
she was recruited to play at Murray. While she was playing, Stevens said she would individually coach young athletes. She
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she said. Stevens said since she started playing she has always loved competition. “I love to compete,” Ste-
Haley Rheinlander a junior forward, said it’s nice to have a woman as an assistant coach. “We can relate to her a lot with issues and girl things,”
“We are ready to prove to everybody that our hard work is going to pay off.” - Haley Rheinlander Junior forward
then moved up to a head coach for a middle school in Murray and coached a club team in Paducah. “I could tell from those coaching experience that this is something I wanted to do,”
vens said. “….I love the winning attitude and teaching that to the girls even if they don’t have the right touch or they don’t do things exactly correct, they are going to pull out a win in the end.”
briefs Women’s soccer predicted to finish 13th The women’s soccer team was predicted to finish 13th in the Great Lakes Valley Conference based on a poll given to the league’s head coaches. The Eagles finished the 2015 season 14th with a 5-10-2 record. Bellarmine University was predicted to win the conference. They recieved 13 of the 16 first-place votes. The team will play its first game of the regular season Sept. 2.
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she said. Rheinlander said Stevens knows the field very well, which helps her help everybody in their positions. “She has knowledge for the game… and she’s been great,”
she said. Every time the team practices, Rheinlander said Stevens comes in with an upbeat and positive attitude, which transfers over to the team. “I think that with any team, leadership is the most important thing anyone can have,” she said. “Anytime she comes to practice (Stevens) has energy and is ready to get going and that definitely transfer to the team and the atmosphere.” Rheinlander said Stevens has been helping them work on injury prevention, which is something the team hasn’t done in the past and is beneficial for the amount of times they practice. “I think we are just all very excited about going into this season with the new stuff,” Rheinlander said. “We are ready to prove to everybody that our hard work is going to pay off.”
Upcoming Varsity Season starts Volleyball opens season Friday The volleyball team will open the 2016 season this weekend in St. Augstine, Florida. The players face Brevard Collge before going up against Flagler College Friday. They will finish out the weekend against Valdosta State University and Brevard College. The team will have the opportunity to win its season-opener for the fourth straight year.
woMen’s Soccer DUNN HOSPITALITY INVITITATIONAL 7:30 p.m. Sept. 2 Strassweg Field University of Findlay 2 p.m. Sept. 4 Strassweg Field Kentucky Wesleyan College 6 p.m. Sept. 6 Evansville, IN Oakland City University 5 p.m. Sept. 9 Evansville, IN Univ. of Missouri - St. Louis
SPORTS EDITOR
WoMen’s cross country
volleyball
6 p.m. Sept. 2 Angel Mounds Stegemoller Classic
FLAGLER INVITATIONAL
men’s Cross Country 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2 Angel Mounds Stegemoller Classic
Men’s soccer 7 p.m. Sept. 1 Owensboro, KY Kentucky Wesleyan College 2 p.m. Sept. 5 Nashville, TN Trevecca Nazarene Univ. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 Evansville, IN Univ. of Missouri - St. Louis
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The shield | September 1, 2016 | Usishield.com
‘The spirit of the game’ Women’s ultimate frisbee prepares for fall season By Sarah Loesch editor@usishield.com @seloesch
The women’s ultimate frisbee team started practices earlier in August and are preparing for their fall season. The Shield sat down with junior captain Samantha Strunk to hear more about her reason for joining the team and the team’s plans for the year.
The Shield: How long have you been a member of the team? Strunk: This is my third year. I joined my sophomore year (and became a captain) my second year.
The Shield: What position do you play on the field? Strunk: I’m a cutter. The cutter is the person that essentially moves the disc down the field. They are running vertically up and down the field to move the disk from one end zone to the other.
The Shield: How did you find out that there was an ultimate frisbee team available? Strunk: My boyfriend, he played his freshman year.
The Shield: Once you joined the team, what made you stay? Strunk: It’s nice to get out and meet people. It’s an easy sport to gain friends and it’s a fun way to workout. We do a lot of running.
The Shield: Was it easy to form friendships on the team? Strunk: Oh yeah, pret-
Photo by Jordan auker | The Shield
Brynne Dohery, a cutter on the women’s ultimate frisbee team, throws a frisbee during an evening practice. The women’s team started practices recently in preparation for their fall season.
ty much when I came to Evansville I was coming by myself. I’m from five hours away. It’s a nice little community of people.
on the team when it first established. It’s nice to join a group of girls that we all have no idea what we are doing. Just kind of learning.
I thought that I would just come out to a few practices, just to let my boyfriend know yeah, I tried it. I ended up loving the girls.
The Shield: Do you have a favorite part of the sport? Strunk: The girls. There was only one girl who was
The Shield: Did you expect to enjoy it when you first started? Strunk: No, I really didn’t.
The Shield: Is the team rebuilding this year or do you have a solid group? Strunk: We’re pretty con-
sistent with our rookies. We are pretty consistent with the same group of girls, it’s not really for everyone. We’ll see many faces throughout the year. The Shield: How many competitions does the team participate in?
Strunk: We do either two or three each semester. The motto pretty much for ultimate is just the spirit of the game. It’s a bunch of college students, going out and playing ultimate for an entire weekend. You get to meet new people.
your in d e lv o v in t e g o t Want it y? n u m m o c l ia t n e id s re Want to meet new people? Look ing for a le adership opportunit y? he t in e ic o v a e v a h o Want t ? y it n u m m o c g in s u ho
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