THE
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T h u r s d a y, J a n u a r y 1 2 , 2 0 1 7 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | v o l . 4 7 i s s u e 1 8
From punches to pressure points
Welcome Center hits delays, still needs contractor
Campus self defense classes see low turnout
by Sarah Loesch editor@usishield.com @seloesch
Construction of the Fuquay Welcome Center is being pushed back after the initial bids for the project overshot the budget set forth by the university. Gary Burgdorf, a construction administrator with Facility Operations and Planning said the number the university had in mind for the project was $2.5 million. It was shown at the July 14 Board of Trustees meeting that $2 million of the budget would come from private gifts and the other $500,000 from the Special Projects Reserve. “We’re trying to pair it down into something affordable,” he said. “The first bids came back and it was more than we had anticipated. We’re not just one, big bag of money, we have parameters.” Currently, the university is working with DKGR Architects, a firm out of Indianapolis, to see how it can be made less expensive. The next meeting with the firm is planned for Friday. Burgdorf said some materials, like the concrete and finishes, have already been adjusted to help cut expense. Burgdorf said some of the local contractors have also been hesitant to dive in because of the uniqueness of the plans. The original plans for the building included a roof garden with walkways, patios and seating and Burgdorf said there are some “tricky” items inside as well.
Photo courtesy of Damien Burge
Kaylie Walbert-Henry, a member of the university Panhellenic Council, throws a punch at a bag held by another member of the self-defense class during a fall session.
by Damien Burge Special to the Shield
The students exchanged wide eyed looks when Sgt. Bobby Wood of the Princeton Police Department announced it was time to learn pressure points. No one stepped forward to get hands-on experience until the instructors became the test dummies. The students winced as they practiced on each other with thumbs pressing in the soft area behind the ear. The pressure-point technique was one of many taught this fall in a university session focusing on sexual assault prevention. Catherine Champagne, the assistant director of Student Wellness, coordinates the sexual prevention and awareness programs for university students. “I have seen more interests across the board in prevention,” Champagne said. Champagne assists in planning some of the sexual assault prevention and awareness pro-
grams, including the self-defense class. Throughout the academic year, the university offers nine programs related to sexual assault awareness and four dealing with prevention. Those four programs are bystander intervention training, self-defense classes, healthy relationship screening and the public safety escort service. Student turnout has been low with little advertising being done to promote the classes. The final exercise was the one which was most exciting for Champagne. The instructors taped all the student’s wrist and one after another they tried to escape. “It was really empowering to figure out that you can break out of duct tape,” Champagne said. “The class blew my mind.” Each student rose their hands up and thrust downward to snap the tape and all but one succeeded. “I loved every part of it,” Kaylie WalbertHenry said. “It was great to be able to come down and practice the moves. You really feel that you know it and are able to defend yourself.”
Walbert-Henry said she hopes to be able to do attend a class like this again. The bystander intervention training is offered by request only and the self-defense class operates once a semester, unless a further interest is shown. The self-defense class is held once a month but not enough students signed up Champagne said. She said she would like to bring more classes to campus if students show an interest in it. Last semester’s class contained twenty people, including both students and faculty. The class has a minimum requirement of 5 participants. Champagne said classes at the university have been canceled in the past due to low turnout. The Panhellenic council contacted the selfdefense instructor Wood about instructing classes for the fall. This isn’t the first time the Panhellenic council has reached out for a class and the turnout is usually around 20 people, Wood said.
Construction, PAGE 3
Self-Defense, PAGE 3
Three employees promoted by Riley Guerzini news@usishield.com @rguerzini
University President Linda Bennett announced the promotion of three administrative staff members at the spring semester faculty meeting Jan. 4. The changes will go into effect Feb. 1. President of the USI Foundation David Bower has been promoted to vice president of development while continuing to serve as president of the Foundation. “I am very grateful for the confidence that (University President) Dr. Bennett has in me,” he said. Bower said he will meet with Bennett next week to discuss the specifics of his new role and duties. Bower has been head of the Foundation for the past decade. He began as a special gifts officer with the Foundation 23 years ago. He said the foundation has grown over the past 10 years under his direction and attributes it to the work done by his staff. “It’s more about the work than it is about me,” he said.
“My hope is that the Foundation will continue to work as a team.” Executive Director of Planning, Research and Assessment Katherine Draughon was promoted to chief data officer. Draughon, who is now in her 11th year at the university, said she and Bennett had been talking about wanting to move the university forward with data and data security. “She is a very data-driven President,” she said. “We are a very data driven, decision making organization.” Working in secondary education since 1996, Draughon has served as the project director at the University of Illinois-Chicago and the assistant director of the survey research lab at the University of South Carolina. Draughon said she is currently working on data governance, which is the policies and procedures that both the IT department and the Planning, Research and Assessment department must have in place to make sure data is being used as an asset and that it is secure.
Promotions, PAGE 3
‘Fans in the stands’ Giveaway aims to promote game attendance
Photo courtesy of Photo services
Archie’s Army cheers from the stands at a women’s volleyball game during the 2016 season. The athletics department is currently working to provide cash giveaways that student’s who attend men and women’s basketball games will be eligible to win.
by Sarah Loesch editor@usishield.com @seloesch
Robbie Kent said he cherishes his memories of his time at USI. During his time at the university Kent was a member of the first men’s basketball team, which at
the time was still under the name Indiana State University East. This year, along with help from the athletic department, Kent has set up a giveaway for students who attend home basketball games. The Robbie Kent’s Sixth-Man Giveaway will award two $500 prizes, two
$250 prizes and one $1,000 prize. “It’s important to get people in the stands,” Kent said. “I think this might be a nice way to have kids go.” Kent said both the head coach of the men’s basketball team, Rodney Watson, and of the women’s basketball team, Rick Stein, have
done a wonderful job with their respective teams. When he was playing at the university Kent said former president David Rice and his wife Betty never missed a game. “That was important for us,” he said. Kent said the teams need more energy from the crowd.
Giveaway, PAGE 3
The shield | January 12, 2017 | Usishield.com
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Giveaway
Self-Defense continued from Page 1 Wood led the class through various defensive techniques from punches to pressure points. The fitness room was largely empty with only seven students attending. Students in pairs held a large cushioned pad while the other stood ready to strike. Wood instructed them through kicks and punches. Three instructors demonstrated the moves and worked with each group on fine tuning the movements and building comfort in attacking. “I would like to see selfdefense classes as part of core education, maybe once a week,” Wood said. There are additional parts
Promotions
of the training that he does once people have attended a few times. One of those additions is a full body padded suit for more realistic experiences in using the techniques. Advertising for the events is sparse. The selfdefense class does not appear on the USI website or calendar and no dates appear for healthy relationship screenings either. Many of the students who came to the Panhellenic sponsored event were not aware that the Recreation Center was offering that same class later in the month. More awareness based events are planned for the upcoming year, according to the Dean of Students
Bryan Rush. Once the new awareness campaign is established, Rush said they are going to move into more prevention programs. He said he feels that awareness is a big part of prevention. On average, 6.1 female college students out of 1,000 are victims of rape annually, and 1.4 male students out of 1,000, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Only 20 percent of victims report the rape according to the BJS. The university reported six sexual offenses in 2012, none in 2013 and two in 2014. The university’s enrollment for those years, including 2015 and 2016, has been over 9,000. The University of Evans-
ville has had similar turnout difficulties with their selfdefense programs. It has a similar 2-1 ratio for awareness programs compared to prevention programs but have a sexual assault awareness or prevention program every month. Two administrators at the University of Evansville in charge of sexual assault programs on campus are certified in teaching a selfdefense course, Coordinator for Health Education and Wellness Programs Jamie Adams-Kemper said. She said the self-defense classes are offered once a semester and have a turnout of around 10 people
Draughon
Toeniskoetter
from Northern Arizona University. He said he has learned a number of ways to manage technology from his past experiences and brought some of those methods with him to put in place. Toeniskoetter said he has seen significant change since joining the university five years ago and his team has moved to a 24/7 mindset. “The team has had to take on much more work,” he said. “The team has shifted from being reactive to when things break to being pro-
active and putting new services out that benefit everybody.” Toeniskoetter said the university is becoming a stronger, larger university on par with the other state schools. “What I see for the university with these three promotions is that this is the continued elevation of the university,” he said. “They elevate USI to be on the same level with our other state institutions and I think that’s a positive for the university.
continued from Page 1
She said that she does a lot of validation, making sure that the data people are accessing is accurate. She said much of her job involves communication between those who are entering data and those who are using it. “With the promotion of both me and Richard (Toeniskoetter) at the same time, the President is sending out a message that we are very serious about data as an asset here at USI,” she said. Draughon said the most difficult part of her job is going through all the data and understanding and leveraging it. “Data drives everything,” she said. “It’s fact-based. There is one truth that comes out of the data.” Executive director of Information Technology Richard Toeniskoetter has been promoted to chief information officer. “I am honored to be the first CIO for the University of Southern Indiana,” he said. “It’s an honor to have this position and its very exciting.” Toeniskoetter said his
Bower
new position is a continuation of the work they have already been doing. He said the main difference is the CIO is expected to look at strategic initiatives for the campus. “We are looking at how to move this campus forward and give the students as much capability as we can,” he said. Toeniskoetter said he is working on modernizing the programs and making them more mobile-friendly. Toeniskoetter has worked in the IT department for five years since coming over
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continued from Page 1
“They are going to see great basketball,” he said, “I think it can really help the team with a big schedule. You have to have fans in the stands.” Kent said he doesn’t have a lot of time to come to games now since much of his time is spent outside of Evansville. He said he will be at more games when he is in town and he plans to attend when the awards are given out. When he was in college, he said the experience was more than just academics, but it was focused on the
social and networking aspects as well. “I’m real proud of USI and what it has done for the community,” he said. Student’s are entered in for the prizes when they swipe their student ID at the student entrance to the Physical Activities Center. Attendees raise their chances of winning with each home game they attend. Between now and Feb. 18 there are six home games for the men’s and women’s basketball team.
Construction continued from Page 1 He said they are working to remove parts of the design that could be seen as “gray area.” The necessity of these changes has pushed back construction for the Welcome Center, which was originally expected to be finished for the Fall 2017 semester. “We can’t start (construction) until we have a contractor,” Burgdorf said. “We can’t get a contractor until we send (plans) out and get bids.” Once new plans are finalized bidding will be reopened for the project. Burgdorf said he thinks this Friday’s meeting could be the final one for this step of the process. “We are so, so close,” he said. “I’m pretty sure we are going to get it this time.” He said if they don’t, he will be quite disappointed. Once construction is able to start, Burgdorf said he does not want to say that it could be done in the
original 9-12 month time frame. He said because of all of the unusual aspects of the building, he would expect 18 months as a more realistic time frame. The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction site took place September 1 which Burgdorf said was a little premature. He said he expects workers to break ground during March or April. “It should go faster when we start because the weather is a littler better,” he said. So far some tree removal has been done to the area and a fence wrap was put up around the site in August. “We really thought we would get started last fall,” Burgdorf said. He said currently everyone involved is very hopeful about the construction projects planned and anxious to get started.
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briefs
USI Security Incident Log 12/14/16 - 1/09/17 Missing Person Newman Hall - 1600 Rankin Ln. 12/14/16 4:50 p.m. Code of Conduct - Alcohol Violation McDonald East Apartments - Morton Building - 932 Varsity Dr. 12/16/16 1:35 a.m. Alcohol Offenses: Alcohol: Underage Consumption McDonald East Apartments - Morton Building - 932 Varsity Dr. 12/16/16 1:35 a.m. Incident Report (Information Only) Public Safety Building 12/16/16 1:35 a.m. Fire: False Alarm (Construction or other means) Orr Center 12/17/16 9:53 a.m. Incident Report (Information Only) McDonald West Apartments - Goodrich Building - 830B Melton Ln. 12/17/16 1:34 p.m. Code of Conduct - Visitor Violation OʼDaniel North Apartments - Leslie Building - 7914A Mahrenholz Rd. 12/19/16 12:45 a.m. Alcohol - Underage Possession OʼDaniel North Apartments - Leslie Building - 7914A Mahrenholz Rd. 12/19/16 12:45 a.m. Code of Conduct - Alcohol Violation OʼDaniel North Apartments - Leslie Building - 7914A Mahrenholz Rd. 12/19/16 12:45 a.m. Property Damage - University Ruston Hall - 1818 Rochelle Ln. 12/19/16 4:25 a.m. Code of Conduct - Alcohol Violation OʼDaniel South Apartments - Noble Building - 8061A OʼDaniel Ln. 12/19/16 2:41 p.m. Alcohol Offenses - Alcohol - Underage Possession OʼDaniel South Apartments - Noble Building - 8061A OʼDaniel Ln. 12/19/16 2:41 p.m. Criminal Mischief OʼDaniel North Apartments Townsend Building - 7936A OʼDaniel Ln. 12/19/16 8:25 p.m.
Code of Conduct - Property Violation OʼDaniel South Apartments - Jennings Building - 8016A OʼDaniel Ln. 12/19/16 9:33 p.m.
1/6/17
8:47 a.m.
Lost Property Report Unknown 1/8/17
12 p.m.
Fire - False Alarm (Construction or other means) Support Services Center 12/21/16 8:31 p.m.
Fire - Alarm - Cooking OʼDaniel North Apartments - McNutt Building - 7922A OʼDaniel Ln. 1/8/17 6:08 p.m.
Injury Report Recreation and Fitness and Wellness Center 12/21/16 1 p.m.
Harassment Unknown 1/8/17
Fire - False Alarm (Construction or other means) Performance Center Support Building 12/23/16 8:36 p.m. Incident Report (Information Only) McDonald West Apartments 12/24/16 4:04 a.m. Fire Education Center 12/28/16
11:40 p.m.
Violation of University Policy McDonald West Apartments Saletta Building - 910B Eckels Ln. 12/29/16 12:25 a.m. Fire - False Alarm (Construction or other means) OʼBannon Hall - 1720 Rochelle Ln. 12/29/16 11:40 a.m. Fire - False Alarm (Construction or other means) Education Center 12/30/16 6:08 p.m. Code of Conduct - Parking Violation McDonald West Apartments 1/3/17 12 a.m. Fire - False Alarm (Construction or other means) Rice Library 1/4/17 1:47 p.m. Lost Property Report Public Safety Building - Public Safety Office 1/5/17 10 p.m. Injury Report University Center West 1/6/17 Injury Report Education Center
10:59 p.m.
Violation of University Policy Health Professions Center 1/8/17 11:24 p.m. Alcohol Offenses - Alcohol - Incident Health Professions Center 1/8/17 11:24 p.m. Lost Property Report On Campus 1/9/17
9:02 a.m.
Criminal Trespass McDonald West Apartments Durbin Building - 908B McDonald Ln. 1/9/17 10:29 a.m. Lost Property Report Campus Housing 1/9/17
11:37 a.m.
Incident Report (Information Only) Public Safety Building - Public Safety Office 1/9/17 1:38 p.m. Traffic Accident McDonald East Apartments - Baker Building 1/9/17 5:20 p.m. Fire - Alarm - Cooking McDonald West Apartments - Marshall Building - 934A Eckels Ln. 1/9/17 8:40 p.m. Disruption Residence Life Community Center 1/9/17 9:12 p.m. Alcohol Offenses - Alcohol - Public Intoxication Residence Life Community Center 1/9/17 9:12 p.m.
8:12 a.m. Illness Report Residence Life Community Center 1/9/17 9:12 p.m
Information gathered from USIʼs Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.
to headline President of NAACP to speaker series speak at MLKJ Oscar Salazar, the cofounder of ridesharing Luncheon company Uber, will present President and CEO of the National Assocation for the Advancement of Colored People, Cornell Brooks, will be the keynote speaker at the university’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Luncheon Jan. 16 in Carter Hall. The event, sponsored by the university Foundation and the Multicultural Center, will include entertainment from student and community groups. Before becoming president of the NAACP in 2014, Brooks served as a trial attorney for the Department of Justice, president of the New Jersey Institute of Social Justice and the senior counsel for the Federal Communications Commission. Monday will mark the 60th anniversary of when King began to collaborate with the NAACP on civil rights campaigns.
Uber cofounder and entrepreneur
“Innovation in Legacy Industries” on March 21 in the Physical Activities Center. The speech, which starts at 6:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public, will be the third of the Romain College of Business’s Innovative Speaker Series. Salazar has founded a number of companies, including Citivox, a technology company that enables non-government organizations and individuals to monitor and report electoral fraud, crime and infrastructure problems in Mexico. He also founded Pager Inc., which is a telemedicine company that connects patients with health care providers through an application.
University Theatre to perform at college theatre festival The university theatre production of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play was
selected to participate at the 2017 Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, Region III in Indianapolis. The performance Jan. 14 in Clowes Hall at Butler University will close the festival. This will be the fourth time that the university Theatre program will perform at KCACTF. Students have previously won individual awards for costuming and lighting at the festival.
University to host fourth annual health informatics conference
The university will host the fourth annual Health Informatics Tri-State Summit (HITS) Oct. 12 in the University Center. Associate professor of Health Services and Health Administration Gabriela Wilson said the conference was moved from January to October to accomadate the growing number of health professionals and students interested in the topic. The theme for the event is “Targeting the Quadruple Aim: Experience, Quality, Satisfaction and Cost Reduction.”
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Features
The shield | January12, 2017 | Usishield.com
Student experiences ‘eye-opening’ opportunity
Photo courtesy of Megan Thorne
Kristin Reckelhoff, a senior nursing major, uses a blood pressure cuff to check her patient, Heather Sheridan’s blood pressure, during Sheridan’s appointment during December. Reckelhoff goes to USI-Glenwood Community Health Center every other Wednesday at 8 a.m. where she sees anywhere from three to nine patients during her eight hour shift.
by Megan Thorne Special to The Shield
As part of the 2016 Basic Reporting class students were asked to feature a student and their internship from the fall semester. Student journalists were able to follow students throughout an internship while others found students with an independent study. The different projects ranged from working in the coroners office to research about the effect of climate change on plants. This semester The Shield will run a series showcasing the different stories written from those experiences. The series starts with a story about senior nursing major Kristen Reckelhoff and her time at the USI-Glenwood Community Health Center. Kristen Reckelhoff smiled and grabbed her clipboard as Heather Sheridan walked through the door into the exam room at the USI-Glenwood Community
Health Center. “We are going to take your vitals first,” she said as she listened to Sheridan’s heartbeat. Every other Wednesday the senior nursing major starts her eight-hour day at the medical center for the Interprofessional Education project, which gives medical students the opportunity to work in teams with nursing, respiratory, social work, occupational and nutrition students while earning clinical or volunteer hours. Reckelhoff said “it’s been eye-opening” to come to the clinic to learn about what each person does. “I think it’s a real benefit because patients are able to come see all of us at once,” she said. “If they were at a regular primary care provider they may not get to see a respiratory therapist or a social worker.” The IPE project came from a federal grant that the university received in 2013. Since then the university
has sent teams of students to Glenwood Leadership Academy, Cedar Hall Elementary School and Lodge Elementary School. “We see social workers in the hospitals but seeing what they are doing in this type of setting and respiratory therapists is eye-opening,” she said. Reckelhoff said she plans to work in a hospital after she graduates, and her experience at the clinic will help her patient receive the care and resources they need and will help her look at their health care with a different perspective “This clinic serves the lower income population of Evansville and there are a lot of needs that need to be met for this population that I don’t think we are taught about in school,” she said. Karin Pruitt, outreach and operations manager for the USI Community Health centers said if a patient comes in with asthma and diabetes and depression
they have all three of those bases covered and the resources to treat the patient. “I just think it’s been a great experience for everyone involved, our staff and our patients,” Pruitt said. “I just put myself in their shoes, and I think back to when I was in college and I think it could’ve been so neat to be a part of something like this.” Pruitt said she remembers the time when a young teenage girl came in with a baby and although she was at the clinic for health care, the IPE students found her a spot at a homeless shelter and gave her diapers for her child. “She left here with all kinds of resources, but she didn’t come here for that,” Pruitt said. “Each of these students are coming at this from their own approach and they are all getting together to treat this one individual patient as a collaborative measure.”
Adjunct’s book reimagines werewolves, begins series by Taylor O’Neil Hall tohall@eagles.usi.edu
Sarah Stevens is the Director of Advising for the College of Nursing and Health Professions as well as an adjunct professor of gender studies at USI. Stevens holds a doctorate degree in Chinese, with a doctoral minor in Gender Studies, from Indiana University. She has been teaching gender studies classes at USI for six years. Recently The Shield reached out to Stevens to ask her a few questions concerning the release of her book “ D a r k M o o n Wolf.” According to Stevens, the USI bookstore is planning on havStevens ing a book signing for “Dark Moon Wolf” sometime in March. The Shield: What is your book about? Stevens: “Dark Moon Wolf” is a paranormal/urban fantasy novel about Julie Hall, a single mother whose four-month old baby Carson turns out to be a Werewolf. Julie sets off to find Carson’s father and learn why her baby is a Were. She does find answers, but she also discovers a grisly string of murders—and
soon realizes she and her son are the next targets. The Shield: Do you plan on doing more writing of this type in the future? Stevens: Absolutely. “Dark Moon Wolf” is the first book in my series “Calling the Moon.” “Waxing Moon,” book two, is already under contract, and I am currently writing book three. I have other plots and characters living in my head, but need to finish book three in this series first. The Shield: When is it going to officially be released and is there going to be a paper edition of the book or only a digital version? Stevens: “Dark Moon Wolf” will be released Feb. 22, 2017. The e-book is already up for pre-sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. There will also be a print book with hopefully the same release date, but it is not yet available for pre-sale. The Shield: What was the publishing process like to get your book published and who is the publisher? Stevens: I’ve had a long journey to publishing. When the book was complete, I secured a literary agent who shopped the book around to several major publishing houses. There was interest, but no one followed up with a contract at that point in time. The book then sat for quite a number of years while I focused on other things. Last year, I renewed my commitment to writing. I decided to part ways with my agent and explore smaller presses on my own— most literary agents only deal with the very large publishing houses. I queried
a handful of smaller presses and immediately received two offers for “Dark Moon Wolf.” I chose the Wild Rose Press, because of its strong reputation with writers, including some I know personally. The press has a special line for paranormal fiction, which is where my book will be published. The Shield: How did the idea for the book come to you and why did you choose the topic? Stevens: When my son was four months old, he bit me so hard I actually have a scar on my shoulder. At the time, I thought—well, I thought a lot of expletives and then I thought, “Well, at least he’s not a werewolf.” Then all sorts of questions started through my mind. What if he were a werewolf? How would he have become a werewolf? What if everything we think we know about werewolves is wrong? What would it be like to be the mother of a werewolf? Those questions were the seeds of “Dark Moon Wolf.” I’ve always loved fantasy and science fiction, and I’ve always loved urban fantasy. As a strong feminist, though, some fictional depictions of werewolves—the strong alpha males, the reliance on physical strength, the submissive role of females in the pack—left me dissatisfied. My books reimagine what werewolves might be. In addition, my books showcase strong friendships between women. The Shield: How long have you been working on the book? Stevens: I started writing “Dark Moon Wolf” about ten years ago, but there were at least five years where it laid completely dormant as I worked on
other things. The Shield: What difficulties have you encountered while trying to write it? Stevens: I work more than full-time, and I’m committed to spending time with my three children and my husband. I struggle to find the time to write as much as I’d like to. I’m also an artist, a board game geek, and I make chain mail jewelry. I never have a moment of boredom and there’s always more I’d like to have time to do. The Shield: What is your writing process like; do you go anywhere specific when you want to write? Stevens: I write wherever I can. Some days I get to work around 7 a.m. and write in my office before the day starts or I spend my lunch hour writing. At home, I write when the kids are in bed or on weekend mornings. The Shield: Do you think that the time you spent pursuing your doctorate could have possibly helped you in any way while you were trying to finish the book? Essentially did the pursuit of your doctorate lend anything to the book? Stevens: I am a better writer because of my Ph.D and the time I spent in graduate school. I’m also a more thoughtful writer because of my work analyzing culture and the media. That said, I believe my lifelong voracious reading and commitment to writing are the things which most benefited my publishing journey. Responses have been adjusted for length and clarity.
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The shield | January 12, 2017 | Usishield.com
5
REVIEW
h l t y n o
Falling Kingdoms gives fantasy lovers a lot to enjoy
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Available on Amazon
One week each month The Shield will focus on reviewing a variety of mediums within entertainment.
New ‘Star Wars’ both excites and worries In theaters now A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, an awesome movie threw respect for the dead to the wind. Don’t get me wrong, on the whole I adore “Rogue One.” This is the “Star Wars” movie I’ve wanted to see since the first prequel let me down over a decade ago. New characters are introduced and are allowed to explore and redefine areas of George Lucas’ lived-in universe without stepping on the toes of the overall plot. The Rebel Alliance needs the plans to the evil Empire’s newest super weapon if they’re to have any chance of destroying it, and through sheer luck they convince the daughter of the guy designing it to help them find said plans. Action-packed combat scenes in which none of the characters have a magic “because they’re the hero” shield around them. Thrilling space battles with just enough beautiful space-battle money shots to keep me drooling. Most importantly though: there’s barely a Skywalker to be seen. Yes, the original trilogy was fun, but I’m sick of the storytelling potential of the Star Wars universe being wasted on every single person in the galaxy somehow ending up involved with the Skywalker family. With all of these checkmarks ticked “Rogue One”
is an excellent addition to both the “Star Wars” universe and any given shelf of blu-rays. Unfortunately, there’s a digital meat-puppet in several scenes, and it just doesn’t sit right with me. Peter Cushing died twenty-two years ago without having ever reprised his minor role as Governor Tarkin from a goofy little 1977 sci-fi kids film called “Star Wars.” The man took the role so seriously that when asked to wear illfitting boots for his space general costume, Cushing threatened to drop out if he couldn’t wear comfortable slippers during the filming of his Death Star scenes. Yet here he is, digitally re-created using hours of archival footage to create a near-perfect digital composite of a dead man’s face moving along to a pitch-perfect impersonator’s dialog. Seeing Cushing’s face on screen performing one of
my favorite characters again was a conflicting moment. I don’t think there’s a single line of dialog in “Rogue One” from Tarkin that Cushing himself would’ve taken issue with -especially since discovering Cushing’s estate worked closely with the filmmakers to present him as truthfully as possible, but I still question the necessity of this technology. As computer generated dead actors climb the far side of the uncanny valley and approach new levels of authenticity, I worry about what might happen when Hollywood decides to act on poorly-worded contracts that give them rights to likenesses. Perhaps we’ll get a “Mrs. Doubtfire 2” with an all CGI Robin Williams clone, “Singing in the Rain, Again” with an undead and de-aged Debbie Reynolds, or create a fictional Ziggy Stardust concert film using a David Bowie digital meatpuppet. Rogue One is one hell of an adventure film with one hell of an ethical grey area smeared across its otherwise unblemished face. Having seen it multiple times I take no real issue with the film itself, but like a piece of well-meaning legislation with an evil rider stapled on at the last minute: I wonder what unfortunate precedent this might set for the future.
Rating 4/5 BY Gavin gaddis
As a person who has always been enchanted by stories that involved magic, kings, queens and epic journeys, it is not uncommon for me to read books and watch television shows that fall into the fantasy genre. Fantasy has always intrigued me more than any other genre in entertainment. There is just something about exploring magical worlds and getting to know the diverse characters who thrive and go on adventures that has always grabbed my attention. So it was no surprise when I picked up the “Falling Kingdoms series by Morgan Rhodes.I flew right through it and it turned into one of my current favorite book series. The series has a variety of diverse characters, but mainly follows four different characters from three separate kingdoms. Princess Cleo of Auranos witnesses a murder that threatens to upset the balance of her kingdom. Jonas of Paelsia yearns to restore his country and form a rebellion against the ones who have oppressed his people. Prince Magnus of Limeros wishes to become as ruthless and powerful as his father, while his younger sister Lucia discovers a shocking secret about herself. As turmoil breaks out across the three kingdoms which turns to war over magic and power, these four characters of different upbringings are brought together for better or worse.
One of the things I love about this series is despite the fact that it’s a fantasy series, it has realistic character development and relationships, and demonstrates the reality of life and death. There are multiple events that unfold with big impacts on the characters and the choices they make, and as you read the novels, the slow change in those characters becomes apparent. The relationships between the characters are complex and intriguing. Those who should be enemies become friends or allies. Those who should be friends can’t be trusted. Something I really enjoyed and appreciated was the slow burn of the romance and friendships, because when those relationships develop, it’s nice to see all the build-up pay off and to look back on how drastic of a change the characters have undergone. It’s also great to see how people from different upbringings can work to-
Rating 5/5 BY Darrian Breedlove
Ed Sheeran: Not quite the same but ‘satisfactory’ On Spotify Ed Sheeran and his mathematical symbols are back, but not quite the same. Since his last studio album in 2014, fans haven’t gotten new content until today with the release of two new singles: “Castle on the Hill” and “Shape of You.” Judging by the cover art, it looks like we can expect an album titled “Divide,” stylized “÷”. For now, the two singles give us a sneak peek of how Sheeran’s style has developed since 2014. To begin, Sheeran’s voice sounds slightly more mature. It’s a bit deeper than on “Plus” and “Multiply.” Listeners can tell Sheeran’s gotten older, and as his voice changed, his style is slightly different as well. These two singles are not the primarily acoustic guitar ballads fans of
Sheeran’s earliest music; the singles most closely resemble his single “Don’t” if compared to anything else. “Shape of You” starts in a way reminiscent of Sia’s “Cheap Thrills,” with staccato, techno-type beats. It’s a radio-friendly ballad with lyrics focused on a lover’s body, which is different from the Sheeran who used to focus on a lover’s eyes or her life narrative. “Castle on the Hill,” on the other hand, has more of the storytelling lyrics fans have come to expect
Rating 4/5 BY Gabi WY
zimride.com/usi
gether and strive toward a common goal. Action and conflict are other great qualities of the series. While the characters are in the midst of a war, how can there not be awesome battle sequences that may or may not involve sword-fights and magic? But with war comes betrayal, vengeance, and death. Be warned; the author is not afraid to kill off characters. While the deaths of certain characters can be distressing, I am pleased of how stirring the deaths can be to the plot. After bingeing the first four installments, I have quickly grown fond of the diversity, relationships, and the stories of the characters in this series. The action and plot of the story are really addicting to read as well. The simple but illustrative writing style of the story provides easy comprehension and vivid imagery. I find that surely anyone could find something within these books that would intrigue them to read further. This is definitely a series I would recommend to fans of “Game of Thrones” or fantasy in general, as well as anyone who is looking for something entertaining to pass the time. With each book the story only continues to get richer and stronger. I am very delighted to have picked up this series, and I am really looking forward to reading the last two installments and the prequel series in the near future.
from Sheeran. It begins, “When I was six-years-old / I broke my leg / I was running from my brother and his friends / and tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass.” Sheeran has the ability to immerse the listener in a dense narrative while also sounding soft and easy on the ears, and “Castle on the Hill” showcases that talent of his. While the ode to his childhood isn’t necessarily as emotional as “Thinking Out Loud” or “The ‘A’ Team,” it’s still a poignant reflection enjoyable to listen to. With the two singles, fans have new content to put on repeat after a twoyear Sheeran drought. While they aren’t quite like past fan favorites, they’re more than satisfactory. I’ll have “Shape of You” on repeat while we wait for the rest of “Divide.”
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Opinion
The shield | January 12, 2017 | Usishield.com
SCREAGLES CALL Question: “What is your opinion on gender neutral bathrooms?”
Illustration by Philip Kuhns
Name: Mariel Elliott Major: Graphic Design Grade: Freshman Answer: “Gender-neutral bathrooms would be very important to have here at USI.”
Testing Trauma by Megan Thorne
mrthorne@eagles.usi.edu @MeganRThorne
I tapped my pencil against the wooden desk, waiting for the answers to transfer from my brain to my paper. 30 minutes into my exam and I was still on the first page of my test. Students were already handing theirs in, confident in their answers.
My palms were sweaty and my face pale with fear in my eyes. “It’s just a test,” I told myself. But it wasn’t just a test. It’s never just a test. It’s something poeple use to judge you. It’s something that kept me awake the night before, worried the hours I spent studying were still not enough. I’ve tried tutors. I’ve tried one-on-ones with teachers. I’ve even tried putting notes
College roommate reality by Sarah Rogers
opinion@usishield.com @suruhgrace
The probability of being lifelong friends with your freshman roommate is unlikely. The probability incoming freshman will actually believe that is even more unlikely. It seems most students come into college with an expectation that living with someone they have never met before will play out like a Hallmark movie. We quickly come to the realization that this person we romanticized as our new best friend has annoying quirks and habits we didn’t foresee while mentally envisioning our four years of college. Somehow the months of Facebook messaging did not prepare us to live with a virtual stranger. What your roommate described as “organized chaos” was what you described as a “glorified train wreck.” What they described as “comforting white noise” was what you described as a “television blaring at all hours of the day.” What they described as “packing light” was what you described as “preparing for the apocalypse.” It is no secret that most roommates have to do a bit of compromising to make the living situation work. At best, you might decide to part ways as unlikely friends once the year ends. At worst, the school might have to play mediator in a crying-scream fight. My hope is you have never had to deal with the worst, however, I have heard horror stories. The most common roommate issues result from miscommunication, assump-
tions and bottling things up. For instance, a slight miscommunication might occur when your roommates text you to tell you they are having friends over, and you did not realize that was code for alcohol and strange boys you have never met before. That was completely hypothetical, of course. Assumptions might come from you thinking if you do the dishes one night, they will do the dishes the next night. Never assume. Bottling up your emotions occur when you never communicate about the little things that bother you. Things such as their cute habit of leaving dirty dishes in front of the television. Finally, one little thing will set you off and a whole semester full of bitterness will come flying out. My advice is to talk things through as they come up. As someone who avoids confrontation like the plague, I understand this is easier said than done. You might be afraid of making things awkward, creating tension, or risking their approval of you. These are real outcomes, but you have to be willing to risk them to achieve a healthy roommate relationship. You don’t have to be best friends with your roommates and, you don’t even have to be kind-of-friends. You just have to be able to get along. Getting along is achieved through communication, compromise and the willingness to make things a little bit awkward to find a comfortable meeting ground. As Guy Sebastian, would say, can we all just get along?
all over my bedroom walls, studying for hours, still to only end up with an F. I just don’t test well. If you look at a majority of my test scores, you would assume I am the stereotypical student who does not care about their grades and is too lazy to study. But that is not the case and I am not the person my test scores portray. Professors constantly say your GPA defines your future and your grades deter-
mine if you get a job or not. They lie. That type of language puts unnecessary fear in students and isn’t the complete the truth. I understand grades and GPA are important to succeed, but there are many more pieces to the puzzle that is a positive future. I don’t believe anyone should use my grades, GPA, or test scores to judge my character. There is a lot more to me
than what a few numbers and letters represent. So far, I have managed to keep an above average GPA, thanks to homework and projects. Class curriculum should be more about homework, instead of basing it solely off of tests. I’m tired of being classified by a test score that measures my anxiety performance instead of my intelligence.
Re-thinking study room reservations by Maxywell Carlton
cmcarlton@eagles.usi.edu
Last semester played host to many new things for students. From new fast food choices to high quality sushi, students enjoyed many exciting advancements brought to campus. One of those new advancements was the new interactive program, BookIt!, which was created for students to reserve study rooms in Rice Library. Many students, myself included, had formulated that this was a good idea when it was first brought up. Instead of trying to claw my way to find an empty study room for my friends and I to study together or for group projects, we could all just reserve a room and be done with the matter, right? Wrong. The majority of the students who attend Rice Library regularly were not aware of this new program that was put into effect in the first month of the fall semester. However, students became abruptly aware of the program and its underlying power over them rather quickly. Students who were busy studying in a study room that they had found fairand-square, were rudely interrupted by another student claiming “I reserved this room, so you all need to get out.” In all of my experiences, it is one of the most irritating things to, first, be interrupted while studying and, second, to be kicked out of the room to let someone else study since they apparently “reserved the
room.” What does that even mean? Rice Library staff apparently “listened to our requests,” and produced a cutting-edge program to put someone else’s studying over another by giving them the power to force the pre-occupants out of a studying room. The program, BookIt!, can be accessed and used by any student, giving them the ability to reserve any room right out from under somebody else. Talk about serious shade thrown. In my mind, there are two glaring issues with this praised program. How should the students who are already in the group study room know that the person who is trying to kick them out actually reserved the room? I mean anybody could walk into a filled room and divert everyone out just because they claim to have reserved the room. I have seen this type of deception happen many times to myself and other students. This leads me to the second issue I see with BookIt!, which is what are the students who are kicked out of the study room supposed to do to carry on their studies? Are they expected to try and find another empty study room and await another eviction, or scavenge to find an empty table to continue their group work but forced to keep quiet since it’s out in the open? Now BookIt!, is not a total loss. It provides a tool for students who need a study room but do not want to
have to find one by chance. However, the staff of Rice Library should open their ears and listen again to these holes in their system to solve these problems to make their program an allaround success. I suggest making BookIt! only available on designated floors in the library, but leaving the rest of the study rooms available for walk-in students. This would keep study rooms available for students who are looking to find a room but may have forgotten to reserve one. It would soon become public knowledge that certain floors are only for reserved group study rooms while the other floors are free for all or no reservation required. The last adjustment I would make to BookIt!, would be requiring students to show verification of their reservation or introduce a daily schedule on each of the study rooms to prove which and when study rooms are being reserved and who for. This seems fair and a more organized approach than what exists currently. Fellow Screagles, be wary when trying to approach a group study room in Rice Library. If you don’t use the reservation program BookIt!, then you might face eviction from your studies, leaving you standing speechless outside the door you once were in. Hopefully the staff of the Rice Library are not deaf and have the ability to open their ears once more to these grievances to make their program more efficient and less cut-throat.
Name: Austin Will Major: Business Management Grade: Junior Answer: “You’re born the way you are, so if you’re male or female that’s the restroom you use.”
Name: Peyton Sauer Major: Social Work Grade: Sophomore Answer: “If they are not hurting anyone else, then I do not see the problem with them.”
THE
SHIELD Editorial Board Sarah Loesch Editor-in-Chief Riley Guerzini News Editor Gabi Wy Features Editor Sarah Rogers Opinion Editor NOW HIRING Sports Editor Nigel Meyer Chief Copy Editor Abigail Stanley Visual Editor
S ta f f NOW HIRING Special Publications Manager NOW HIRING Page Designer Philip Kuhns Illustrator Megan Thorne Chief Photographer Gavin Gaddis Community Engagement Manager
Sales & Marketing S ta f f NOW HIRING Sales & Marketing Director Jenney Pike Business Manager NOW HIRING Marketing Manager Tessa Holcomb Sales Consultant Danielle VanHooser Layout & Design Coordinator
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Gavin Gaddis Circulation Manager Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board
Sports
The shield | January 12, 2017 | Usishield.com
Photos by Megan Thorne| The Shield
Teams remain near perfect over break The men’s and women’s basketball teams both have winning records for this season with multiple wins being added over Christmas break. The men’s team continues to have an undefeated record after the break. The team is currently 14-0 after five games over break. During those games head coach Rodney Watson hit his 100th win at home. Senior guard Jeril Taylor is leading earned his third GLVC player of the week accolade
after the team’s win over Bluefield State College. The men’s team is currently averaging 96.4 points per game and is shooting 53 percent from field goal range. The women’s team is now 12-2 after its five games over break and keeps an undefeated 4-0 in Great Lakes Valley Conference games. The women lost one game over the break against Ohio Dominican University 66-65. The team also played two games in Puerto Rico to start
out the schedule over break. They came away with two wins against two universities while playing in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Right now the team is averaging 81 points a game and is shooting 44 percent from fieldgoal range. The players are bringing in an average of 45.3 rebounds a game and shooting 72 percent from the free-throw line.
Coaches hit milestone wins
Photo by Megan thorne | The Shield
Over Christmas break the head coach of the men’s basketball team, Rodney Watson, earned his 100th home win as head coach for the team. He is currently coaching an undefeated men’s team.
Photo by Megan thorne | The Shield
Head coach of the women’s basketball team. Rick Stein, also found a milestone win over break. Stein earned his 300th career win as head coach of the team. After the win assistant coach Randa Dallas said the girls surprised Coach Stein in the locker room by dousing him with a couple cups of water.
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The shield | January 12, 2017 | Usishield.com
8
Scores
Upcoming Games Men’s Basketball Jan. 12 7:30 p.m. Truman State University Kirksville, MO Jan. 14 3:15 p.m. Quincy University Quincy, IL
Women’s Basketball Jan. 12 5:30 p.m. Truman State University Kirksville, MO Jan. 12 1 p.m. Truman State University Kirksville, MO
Men’s basketball
Women’s basketball
Ohio Valley University
Dec. 10 48-103
USI
Kentucky State University
Dec. 7 59-87
Lees-McRae College
Dec. 11 83-98
USI
University of Puerto RicoRio Piedras
Dec. 16 46-92
USI
Bluefield College
Dec. 14 54-99
USI
University of Puerto RicoMayaguez
Dec. 17 71-88
USI
Martin Methodist College
Dec. 16 62-100
USI
Ohio Domincan University
Dec. 30 66-65
USI
Dec. 17 68-95
USI
William Jewell College
Jan. 5 39-7
USI
Bluefield State College
Jan. 2 59-122
USI
Jan. 7 79-84
USI
William Jewell College
Jan. 5 71-88
USI
Kentucky State
Rockhurst University
Jan. 7 77-98
Rockhurst University
USI
USI
briefs
Cardinal Caravan heads to Physical Activies Center
The 2017 Cardinal Caravan will make a stop in Evansville this year at the PAC. This year fans will be able to see current players, pitcher Tyler Lyons, outfielder Jose Martinez, pitcher John Gant and Patrick Wisdom.
The event will also include former players Ray King and Scott Cooper and will be emceed by Christ Harabe. The event is set to start at 6 p.m. January 15. This event offers fans the chance to talk to the players and the first 400 children in the door will recieve a free autograph. The ticket garauntees one autograph from each current and former players. The autograps are only available for children 15 and under.
Athletics Department announces 2017 Hall of Fame Class The university athletics department will induct the 2017 Hall of Fame Class during homecoming week in February. This year the class is made up of six individual ahtletes and one nine-member team.
The inductees were eligible for nomination on the 10th anniversary of their last season of play. For a coach or administrator they must be removed from the athletics department for two years. This years class is former men’s soccer player Moulton Cato (1981-84), runner Jenny Farmer Thurner (1999-2004), soccer players Dean Mills (199295), women’s basketball player Adrienne Seitz Runyan (1995-99), Amy Stetler Harper (1996-99), softball
NOW HIRING Sports editor
player Nicole Vine Braun (1998-2001) and the 1983 women’s tennis team. The women’s tennis team ended the GLVC tournament perfect after winning each of its nine flights. They also were 14-1 on the season as a whole. The induction ceremony is planned for February 3.
Taylor earns third award
of the week honor by the GLVC. He earned the award the for the second-straight week after his triple-double performance against Bluefield State College January 2. This makes the most GLVC Player of the Week honors in a single season for a USI men’s basketball player since Chris Thompson. Thompson won the award four times during the 2005-06 season.
Senior guard Jeril Taylor earned his third player
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Winter Weather Preparedness
Housing and Residence Life is committed to protecting the safety and welfare of its residents. The HRL emergency procedures were designed to help students better evaluate, prepare, respond and recover from emergency situations. Learn more at www.usi.edu/housing/current-residents/emergency-procedures/
Snow and Ice
It is important to be aware of any weather situation and plan accordingly. Keep in mind that even treated snow and ice covered sidewalks and roads may remain slick and hazardous. Cold temperatures make it difficult for the treatment to melt snow and ice. Residents are encouraged to stay on treated sidewalks and roads and avoid taking short cuts through snow and ice covered areas. In times of snow and ice, main campus will be cleared first and then housing areas.
Snow Shovel Check Out
Snow shovels are available at the Community Center, Housing and Residence Life central office, Residence Life Resource Center, and residence halls’ front desks. Residents may check out a shovel for use while they are on campus. Residents may check out one snow shovel at a time. If a resident would like to check out a snow shovel they may do so with HRL staff member.
Reporting Emergencies
The quickest, easiest way to obtain help for any emergency is to call Public Safety at 812-492-7777.
RAVEalert
Log into myUSI and click the RAVEAlert icon to begin. USI RAVEAlert gives critical and timely warnings - via email, text message, and voice message - about emergencies, severe weather, and other incidents impacting the University community.