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CELEBRATING DIVERSITY Global Crossroads highlights various cultures
FAFSA changes to benefit students by sarah loesch editor@usishield.com @seloesch
Photo courtesy of ERIN MCCRACKEN Merris
Three members of Funkadesi perform on stage. Funkadesi houses members of various cultures and showcases it throughout its musical diversity.
by Megan thorne opinion@usishield.com @MeganRThorne
Although Neeru Tindoni was born and raised in London, England she never lost her Indian roots. Tindoni has been dancing since she was young and has always incorporated her North Indian culture into her dance. “(Dance) is a natural part of the Indian culture,” she said. “You can’t avoid it.” Tindoni will perform with PNM Dance Group during the Global Crossroads Culture and Music Festival on Saturday from 1 - 7 p.m. USI’s’s Historic New Harmony and Under the Beams have collaborated since 2014 to produce the festival. This year’s main focus is on Indian Culture but will showcase other cultures as well. Tindoni’s group will have 58 dancers performing from age three to 60. “We just formed the group together,” she said. “ It’s been a few years and it’s been wonderful. It’s a beautiful thing to see the little kids dancing and the range of diversity in the group.”
The dance students will be performing different Indian dances focusing on Bollywood, folktales and a North Indian folk dance. “We will all be dressed in different types of Indian dresses,” Tindoni said. “We’ve been practicing for a couple of months now.” Tindoni said she has been working with their dance teacher, Pachi and Monica, the group’s dance official, to help pull the show together. “We also design backdrops so people can see what India is like,” she said. “I designed a silk safari backdrop and sewing it all takes weeks to put together. It will give people an idea about India.” She said the three of them work hard to try and get the kids registered and to practices. “It’s been very challenging working with 3-year-olds,” Tindoni said. “But everyone will be going ‘aw’ when they see them because they look adorable in their full Indian costumes. It will give everybody something to look at that they haven’t seen before.” There are 29 states in India and 22 official languages all of which Tindoni wants
to try and feature on Saturday. “A lot of people might not be aware India is a beautiful and colorful country that celebrates different religions and festivals,” Tindoni said. “I’m hoping through this that we are able to show diversity, it’s not one type of music and one type of thing… when they see it on stage showing different fashions, cultures and foods, they see another side of India.” Tindoni said she hopes people are able to learn about India through their performances, especially about Bollywood. “I’m excited that we can show a range of colors and show the range of India with colors and food,” she said. “It’s a beautiful thing because a lot of people wouldn’t have the chance to see it.” Tindoni said dance is incorporated with everything they do in India, from weddings to movie theaters. “Every party incorporates dance,” she said. “You can’t escape it.” Erin McCracken Merris, community engagement manager for New Harmony said a lot of people in the community will be participating in the festival, so they can share their heritage and culture.
Global crossroads, PAGE 4
Social and Cultural committee kicks off Alcohol Awareness Week by riley guerzini news@usishield.com @Guerzwinski
The Student Government Association General Assembly passed a $57 extension to the Alcohol Awareness Week budget Thursday. The original budget, which allotted $250, could not cover expenses for the purchase of hotdogs, buns, advertisements, a slushy machine rental and a grill according the Resolution 1617. M. “It was a little bit difficult for me not to go over just to feed people for one day on the quad,” Assistant Vice President of Social and Cultural Issues Christina Lutes said. The Social and Cultural Issues committee partnered with sorority Delta Zeta, fraternity Phi Delta Theta, and the Activities Programming Board to raise awareness for
It’s estimated that each year
1,825 699,00 97,000
college students die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries*
college students are assulted by another student*
college students report experiencing alcohol-related sexual assult or date rape*
*college students - students that fall between the ages 18 - 24 Information provided by the National Institute on Alchohol Abuse and Alchoholism
the dangers of using and abusing alcohol. “I think alcohol in moderation is OK for college students, but when you put others in danger I think that then it definitely needs to be addressed,” she said. Lutes said her committee’s goal is to try to put a positive spin on issues that may be difficult for people to handle. She said she reached out to Van-
derburgh County officers like Sheriff Dave Wedding and Deputy Brian Spradlin to talk about their experience with alcohol accidents and give students a taste of what it’s like to be under the influence with a field sobriety test. “I think some students would be surprised that some incidents do happen in the morning, when people think that they are sober,” Lutes said. alcohol awareness week, PAGE 3
Watch for the fall 2016 edition of
This year the start date to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid moved to an earlier date. As of Oct. 1 students were able to fill out the application, a date three months earlier than previous years. In the past students were able to begin filing FAFSA Jan. 1 and the tax returns from the previous year were used. Now the tax returns from two years prior to filing will be used. Students filing for 2017-18 aid will use their 2015 income. Mary Harper, director of student financial assistance, said the changes will benefit not only new and prospective students, but continuing students as well. She said it will give students more time to prepare finances for college. “I think it is a very positive change for students,” Harper said. “I think it will encourage more students to file their FAFSA.” FAFSA also can impact sources of aid that are not federal. Harper said she believes more students file and be eligible for state aid. Students who are 21st Century scholars should not be affected much by the new dates, but Harper said it could help them as well. The March 10 deadline for 21st Century scholars will be the same. Harper said in the latest data she has, from the 201516 aid year, 75 percent of students received some sort of aid. She said the financial aid office has received some calls about the changes, but it has mostly been from new and prospective students. Harper said the office sent an email out to students so they would be aware of the changes. The website also offers a section with answers for any questions students may have about the process. “We’ve been proactive in encouraging early filing,” she said. Harper said students should visit the financial aid website for more information regarding FAFSA and the filing process.
New library program offers students group study options by riley guerzini news@usishield.com @Guerzwinski
The library leadership committee launched the new group study room scheduler, Bookit! Sept. 26. The program is available on the USI website under the library tab, with link son both the top of the page and on the side. Students must first register on Book it! In order to be able to reserve a room. Once an account is established, students can then create reservations for the rooms they want
for two or more people. Rooms are available for up to two hours a day and six hours a week and students can make reservations up to 30 days in advance. “We recommend that you put some kind of vague information in there like Nursing study group for example, so that others in your group can see your reservation and know where to go,” Director of Library Services Marna Hostetler said. Hostetler said she saw the Bookit! Program in use at the University of Evansville library and thought it was the simple reservation program she was looking for.
BOOKIT, PAGE 3
on stands now!
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