THE
SHIELD
T h u r s d ay, S e p t e m b e r 1 4 , 2 0 1 7 | U s i s h i e l d . c o m | V o l . 4 8 I s s u e 5
Presidential pursuit University seeks Bennett’s replacement
Sex offense reported by Gabi Wy editor@usishield.com @GabiCWy
Photo Illustration by Abigail Stanley| The Shield
The university is searching for a new president leading up to the retirement of current president Linda Bennett. There have been three presidents in USI’s history.
by Riley Guerzini
news@usishield.com @rguerzini
The university Board of Trustees will begin their search for the next President of USI within the coming weeks. Chairman of the Board of Trustees Harold Calloway said the Board will form a search committee within the next couple weeks to begin the search for President Linda Bennett’s replacement, who announced her retirement at a faculty meeting in August. “We want someone who is a proven leader, a proven communicator, a person who has love for the students and love for the community and for faculty,” Calloway said. “I’m not sure how close we can get to that, but that’s the caliber of person we are looking at.”
The average tenure of a university president is eight and a half years according to a 2006 survey done by the American Council on Education. Bennett, who became President in 2009, is the university’s third President since it was founded in 1965. Bennett’s predecessor, Ray Hoops, served as President from 1994-2009 and USI’s first President, David Rice, served for 27 years between 1967-1994. Calloway said the Board will be taking its time with the decision and want to make sure it hires the best candidate. “We can go real fast and get it done and get it over with, or we can methodically go through it based upon where we have been, knowing that history, knowing where we are now and knowing where we want to go,” he said. Calloway said he has cut back on activities outside the university, including his job, in or-
Students demand parking by Riley Guerzini news@usishield.com @rguerzini
Tian Moore-Denk said she usually arrives on campus at least 30 minutes early just to find a parking spot. “One thing that I don’t like is that they have a whole section of the parking lot blocked off for the construction,” the freshman sociology major said. “If you don’t come between 7 and 10, you’re probably not going to get a spot.” Miles Mann, assistant director of facilities, operations and planning, said the last row in parking lot C that is unavailable due to the construction materials and vehicles stationed there will not be available for public use until the completion of Phase II of the Physical Activities Center, which is not expected until October of 2020. Mann said no other spaces will be affected by
construction of the PAC or the Fuquay Welcome Center. Moore-Denk posted in the USI class of 2020 page a photo of a truck double parked in one of the lots. “My main complaint is that we just don’t have enough parking for the amount of people we have here,” she said. “It really pissed me off that there’s not enough parking and someone just decided to double park on purpose when that could have been someone else’s spot.” According to information collected for the university’s next master plan, the university currently has 6,726 total parking spaces on campus. Students who are not exclusively distance education students are required to pay a transportation/parking fee that is determined by the number of credit hours a student is enrolled in at the university, which ranges from $78 to $130 per semester.
Parking, PAGE 3
der to focus more on finding a new President. “This is a really important position we are trying to fill,” he said. “I think to give less than 100 percent would not be good for the university students or the faculty.” Under Bennett, the university completed its first strategic plan along with the completed construction of the Griffin Center, Performance Center and the Business and Engineering Center. Calloway said the university has seen large growth under Bennett and hopes that will continue under the next President. “From a physical standpoint, I think the most exciting thing we have going on right now is the Fuquay Welcome Center, so I am looking at those as places of growth,” he said. “I think we have also done a good job in diversity on campus as far as students and the staff, and I think that is important as well.”
A rape was reported in campus housing at 2:14 a.m. September 6. According to the USI Public Safety Incident Log, the sex offense occurred between 1:36 a.m. and 8:36 a.m. Sept. 5. The case was referred by Public Safety to another university department. This is the first documented report of a rape this academic year. Public Safety confirmed a female student made the report. The university is required to disclose all sexual assaults in cooperation with the Jeanne Clery Act. In the fall of every year, the university publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, which documents all rapes reported the previous year. The 2017-2018 year’s safety report has not been published. In the 2016-2017 report, there are four sex offenses documented for 2015 compared to two sex offense reports in 2014. According to the university’s website, “USI condemns all gender based discrimination including sexual assault, rape, sexual harassment, and all other forms of non-consensual sexual activity.” The website states if a student is assaulted, he or she has options. Students can approach Public Safety, local law enforcement, the Dean of Students Office, the Title IX Officer in the Office of Human Resources, a local emergency room for medical care and the Counseling Center. Riley Guerzini contributed to this story.
Paint war adds splash of color to campus
Photo by Brittany Smith | The Shield
Freshman Paige Courtright ran through the rugby fields shooting paint at fellow students during the paint war Sunday afternoon. “It’s really cold,” Courtright said. “But it’s really fun.”
by Jeana Everhart jjeverhart@eagles.usi.edu
Maddie Seib convinced her friends to join her for a colorful Sunday afternoon. The junior nursing major arrived with her friends in white shirts ready for battle, and by the time they left, each was covered in a splatter of colors. Firing paint from water guns and hitting everyone in sight, students
went through over three gallons of paint during the two-hour paint war. Hitting both friend and stranger, every student was ducking for cover while firing aimlessly into the air. As the paint dried, students wondered if the stains would be gone before classes Monday. Seib has been to every paint war since her freshman year. Two years later she still finds the event fun. “It’s great just coming out here and having fun with other people,” Sieb
said. “The paint war is something you don’t normally do; it’s different.” Sunday’s paint war was one of many events hosted by the Activities Programming Board. “We are the group that puts on the events around campus that are free to students,” said junior member Megan Kendrick. “We put on the live karaoke during the Welcome Week, cookie canvases and the comedian magician from a few weeks ago.”
Paint, PAGE 5
2
The shield |September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
PUZZLES
For weekly puzzle solutions visit usishield.com/puzzles
Questions? Contact us! Editor-in-Chief
812/464-1682 editor@usishield.com
Newsroom
812/464-1645 news@usishield.com
Sales
812/464-1870 sales@usishield.com
The Shield is the student publication of the University of Southern Indiana. The Shield is a member of ACP and ICPA. First copy is free. Additional copies of The Shield are 25 cents.
Welcome Back Students
20 Student %
Discount
Monthly
Smoke
Shop
Work for us
Giveaways
New Smoking Accessories Weekly Novelties, Lingerie & More 4605 Washington Ave
BoudoirNoir.com
apply online at usishield.com/work-for-us
Apply online at USIshield.com/work-for-us
Work for the Shield
News
The shield |September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
3
Trustees approve housing, meal plan rate increase BY RILEY GUERZINI news@usishield.com @rguerzini The university Board of Trustees approved an increase to the cost of housing and meal plans at its meeting Sept. 7. Per semester apartment rates will increase $69 for two bedroom apartments with two people living in a bedroom and a $122 increase for two bedroom apartments with one person living in a bedroom. For one bedroom apartments, rates will increase $83 for two people per bedroom and $154 for one person per bedroom. Rates for one and two bedroom residence halls will increase $69. Students living in housing will also receive $50 in Munch Money for the approved rates. “We are always looking at the costs of our housing and the costs we have in terms of maintaining that housing,” university President Linda Bennett said. “We’ve been on a
pretty aggressive schedule for renovating segments of that housing so I think we are always taking a look at both what our cost demands are as well as the services that students in housing are asking for.” There were interior construction upgrades to five student housing apartments over the summer, as well as a new fire alarm that was installed in the O’Daniel North apartments. Bennett said the university is also looking at how its housing costs compare to other campuses. Rates for residence halls at USI are $2,284 per semester compared to $3,205 for similar residence halls at the University of Evansville and $3,370 for similar residence halls at Indiana State University for the 2017-2018 academic year. “We are always weighing those things in terms of what are the kinds of things students want, can we afford to do those and if we can, how do we manage that, because housing is its
Photo by Kara Criswell | The Shield
The Board of Trustees approved an increase to both apartment and residence hall rates at its meeting Sept. 7.
own business operation,” she said. Meal plan rates will increase $63 per semester for the next academic year. The increase will apply to
the Red, White and Blue meal plans. The increases will allow for “normal increases in food and labor costs” according to the meeting’s
briefs CEO named distinguished alumni
The chief executive officer of the Indiana Center for Nursing was given the 2017 Distinguished Nursing Alumni Award. Kimberly Harper received two degrees from the university, one in nursing and the other in health services. She has worked in nursing, administration and education. “I have known Kim for the last six years through working with ICN, and what I think is most special about Kim is her love and passion for nursing,” said Dr. Ann White, dean of the USI College of Nursing and Health Professions in a news release. “She is a tremendous ambassador for nursing in the community and has gained a national reputation because of her service.” Harper also serves as co-chair of the National Nurse on Boards Coalition. This represents all major nursing organizations. She is also a member of the Indiana Governor’s Task Force for Healthcare Education, Pipeline, and Training. She was presented the award during the university’s White Coat Ceremony in August.
Executive-in-Residence to present on e-commerce Kevin Hammett, the president and chief executive officer of Regency Properties, will serve as the 2017 Executive in Residence for the Romain College of Business. He will present “The Adaptation of Retail to E-Commerce: A Real Estate Practitioner’s Perspective,” at 10 a.m. Monday, Sept. 25 in Carter Hall. The presentation is free and open to the public. Hammett was also the recipient of the USI Distinguished Accountant Award. He is currently the chair of the USI Foundation Board of Directors and the Board of Advisors for the Romain College of Business. This is the 45th year for the Romain College of Business’ Executive-in-Residence program.
Instructor to keynote Black and Brown Summit
Parking Xavia Harrington, an instructor of English, will serve as the keynote speaker for this year’s Black and Brown Summit of Excellence. The summit is not open to the public, but students can register online to attend at https://www.usi.edu/ multiculturalcenter/events/black-andbrown-summit-of-excellence/registration/. There will be a dinner and breakout sessions on topics like health disparities among women of color, substance abuse, networking and Greek Life. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. with opening remarks around 4 p.m. Faculty and staff can attend the keynote at 4:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22 in Carter Hall without registering. Harrington is currently finishing her dissertation toward a doctorate in education. Her emphasis is social justice in higher education. “Students look to us as gatekeepers between the life they’re living and the life they want to have,” Harrington said in a news release. “Sometimes we forget to think about all the nuances that may make our students vulnerable. An extra five minutes spent getting to know a student can reverberate through that student’s life and help keep him/her on track to academic success.”
USI Security Incident Log 9/6-9/13 9/6 2:14 a.m. - Rape/ Campus Housing 9:21 a.m. - Illness report/ Health Professions Center 9:46 a.m. - Illness report/ McDonald West Apartments 11:24 a.m. - Traffic accident/ Parking Lot A 7:15 p.m. - Illness report/ Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center 11:46 p.m. - Hit and Run/ Parking Lot E 9/7 7:19 a.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/ OʼDaniel North Apartments 10:39 a.m. - Welfare check/ Governors Hall 1:24 p.m. - Injury report/ Governors Hall 1:34 p.m. - Injury report/ Health Professions Center 1:44 p.m. - Traffic Accident/ Parking Lot B 3:45 p.m. - Weapons Violation (Non-law related)/ OʼDaniel South Apartments 3:45 p.m. - Drug possession/ OʼDaniel South Apartments 3:45 p.m. - Welfare check/ OʼDaniel South Apartments 6:03 p.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/
OʼDaniel South Apartments 6:39 p.m. - Fraud/ McDonald West Apartments 10:56 p.m. - Illness report/ Governors Hall 9/8 1:33 a.m. - Suspicious person/ Parking Lot D 3:02 a.m. - Illness report/ Newman Hall 5:10 p.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/ McDonald West Apartments 7:07 p.m. - Fire - false alarm/ OʼDaniel North Apartments 9:35 p.m. - Underage possession of alcohol/ OʼDaniel North Apartments 10:45 p.m. - Underage consumption of alcohol/ OʼBannon Hall 10:45 p.m. - Illness report/ OʼBannon Hall 11:40 p.m. - Illness report/ Governors Hall 9/9 1:08 a.m. - Code of Conduct/ McDonald East Apartments 1:08 a.m. - Public Intoxication/ McDonald East Apartments 1:08 a.m. - Alcohol violation/ McDonald East Apartments 10:54 a.m. - Fire - false alarm/ Governors Hall
agenda. The Board also approved construction of phase II of the PAC. The over $27 million project will include newly reno-
7:42 p.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/ OʼDaniel South Apartments 9/10 5:22 p.m. - Illness report/ OʼBannon Hall 5:56 p.m. - Suspicious person/ McDonald East Apartments 6:26 p.m. - Fire - Odor Investigation/ Governors Hall 8:39 p.m. - Suspicious person/ OʼDaniel North Apartments 10:10 p.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/ McDonald West Apartments 9/11 1:14 a.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/ McDonald East Apartments 1:25 a.m. - Illness report/ Governors Hall 11:31 p.m. - Fire - false alarm/ OʼDaniel South Apartments 1:14 a.m. - Fire alarm - cooking/ McDonald East Apartments 1:25 a.m. - Illness report/ Governors Hall 11:39 a.m. - Hit and Run/ Parking Lot J 2:13 p.m. - Fire - faulty alarm/ OʼDaniel South Apartments 2:57 p.m. - Illness report/ Science Center 9:33 p.m. - Illness report/ Governors Hall
Information gathered from USIʼs Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.
vated spaces for faculty and staff and a swimming and diving pool that will be located to the north of the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center.
continued from Page 1
The fee funds the upkeep of campus roadways, parking lots, pedestrian sidewalks and paths and the on-campus shuttle bus service, according to the Public Safety website. Resident parking permit costs are included in the fee. Moore-Denk said she believes the problem is only going to get worse in the future.
“I feel like they are not as prepared as they should be with the amount of students they have,” she said. “I don’t know if building the Welcome Center is going to help, but I feel like they should put more money into expanding parking lots and definitely not blocking off a section of parking for construction.”
STAY CONNECTED!
4
Features
The shield | September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
Spoken word draws crowd
Illustration by Abigail Stanley | The Shield
by Sarah Rogers and Jeana Everhart features@usishield.com
More than 70 students and faculty squeezed into the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Gallery to listen to fiction stories Thursday evening. The sardine-packed audience listened with rapt attention, careful not to breathe too loudly. A silence so loud it was almost deafening hung over the room as Casey Pycior began reading from his book, “The Spoils: Stories.” The newly hired Assistant Professor of English began writing his stories in 2012 and published his work in 2017. “I wrote one (Spoils) first to see what would happen and then another and another, framing it all together at the end.” The stories are written in first person with mid-western settings and historical backgrounds. “Preservation” was based off ships sunken in the Mississippi and the museum that honored the vessels. It corresponds with a man telling the story of his marriage as it began to fail. “Spoils” was based off the opponents of the famous Harlem Glo-
betrotters, the Generals, and the struggle of one team member trying to decide between following the ‘script’ or making his own moves. In the end, his decision affects the whole team and proves being a winner doesn’t mean the world will agree. “I began to think about how bad it must feel to be the Generals,” Pycior said. “I began to wonder what if I was on the Generals team. My wife was pregnant at the time, and so I began wondering what it would be like to have a family and have to explain to my son why I always lost every game.” Pycior said most of his stories come together in pieces. “I don’t have a plan when I start,” Pycior said. “I don’t usually start with some sort of inspiration. The stories form themselves.” Pycior said hearing spoken word is a unique experience. “You don’t have the opportunity to hear the author speak their own writing aloud very often,” Pycior said. “But when you do, you hear it exactly how they intended it to be read. You hear the voice inflections exactly where they wanted them,
and in the exact tone of voice they wanted it read in.” Pycior said he appreciates feedback on his writing. “People always ask me if hearing audiences’ thoughts makes me wish I had written my work a different way,” he said. “When my book was peer reviewed, the guy told me I should focus on a smaller issue, and while I liked what he said, that wasn’t what my story was about. So, no, my stories are my stories. I don’t regret the way I wrote them. Hearing what people say only gives me inspiration for future stories.” Opening the floor up for questions, an arm shot up as an audience member asked Pycior what he hopes the audience walks away with. Pycior laughed. “That’s a good question,” he said. “I think the point of all art is to inspire art,” Pycior said. “I want my audience to leave here having felt something. To write something that moves someone is always the goal.” Evansville resident Michelle Feda said she thought the event was “fantastic.” “My favorite piece was the one about the Globetrotters,” Feda said.
“It has such a great story and captivating characters. It’s this beautiful story of a man who wants to be a hero, but ends up being a villain in the eyes of everyone else. I think everyone can relate to wanting to stand out, and it turns out it wasn’t in the best interest of the group as a whole.” Feda said hearing the stories spoken aloud adds a new depth. “When I read, I do it quickly and I often skip over lines and words,” Feda said. “Having the author speak it out loud not only gives you a greater connection to the piece and the author, but it forces you to slow down and hear it fully, maybe for the first time. You hear the words in a completely different light.” Associate Professor of English Susanna Hoeness-Krupsaw was not familiar with her colleagues work but found the event enjoyable. “The first reading’s theme ties all the parts together-unlike their marriage,” Hoeness-Krupsaw said. “The first-person narrator made it contemporary and tangible. It had a mid-western feel and that shares with our experience here.”
Spinning clay for a cause by Austin Lewis aalewis@eagles.usi.edu
Flecks of dust danced through the rays of sunlight streaming through the back window of the Ceramics Center. The sun began to set as the clock struck 5 p.m.. All was quiet except for the sound emitted from the spinning tables in front of several ceramic DJs. The temporary artists put their fingers to work by creating bowls for the 6th annual Bowl-O-Rama. Students from all different majors and faculty from various departments sat shoulder to shoulder trying to make the perfect bowl. Volunteers who had never touched a lump of clay in their life were spinning slimy, gray masses into fantastic bowls. Professors, maintenance personnel, advisers and students came together to raise money for those in need. The Bowl-O-Rama is an event held every year to bring together any faculty and students who wish to make bowls to be sold during Empty Bowls Evansville. For the past five years now, the event in Evansville’s downtown arts district raises money that will aid local families suffering from hunger. “A good 300 volunteers participate in this event and produce an average of about 1000 bowls each year,” said Alisa ‘Al’ Holen, assistant professor of ceramics. Anybody who wishes to purchase a bowl at Empty Bowls Evansville can show up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sauced. Several of the volunteers spoke
Photo by Austin Lewis | The Shield
Samantha Skelton (left), a senior at Heritage Hills High School makes a bowl out of clay with the assistance of Blake Gamblin, sophomore art education major, during the 6th annual Bowl-O-Rama Friday afternoon. USI holds several events where volunteers make bowls for Empty Bowls Evansville.
about how intense the event has been in the past. They said a line typically forms around the block up to an hour before the doors even open. “It’s pretty awesome that people get so excited to contribute to a good cause,” Blake Gamblin said. The sophomore art education
major was one of several student advisers assisting the volunteers in making their bowls. Anyone who is in a sophomore level ceramics class must attend an event and advise. “It helps us learn the craft better by helping others,” said Zach Brown, an undecided sophomore. “We couldn’t be happier with the
turn out that we had today. All of our volunteers did awesome,” Holen said as she put the finishing touches on the bowl she was designing. “It is incredible to see so many people come out and participate in such a good cause.”
The shield |September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
Paint
5
continued from Page 1
This was Kendrick’s second year helping host the annual paint war. “Last year it was a big hit so we decided to do it again,” Kendirck said.“The goal is to get people involved on campus, meeting new people and having fun. A lot of people really like it.” APB will try to host another paint war next semester for those students who couldn’t attend.
Within the first hour, over thirty students were participating in the messy battle drenching various colors all over the rugby field. Junior biochemistry major Madison Everett said the rugby field was a new location for the paint war. “We usually have it by the water tower, but it was too far out and brought less people,” Everett said. This meant longer trips for more water, but the extra
labor was worth it as more and more students came to join in the fun. Freshmen friends psychology major Blakely Carnine and undecided Nicole Robinson were not sure what to expect from the event as they walked to the field. “I was expecting water balloons,” said Carnine. “But I like the guns much better!” The two were covered
snapping shots as students were hit with paint and taking slow motion videos; her phone case taking many blows of purple and green paint. Freshman undecided major Emily Bacon tried to wash the yellow and green from her face with no success, but Bacon still enjoyed the day. “This was the first (APB) event we’ve been to, but definitely will try more after
in purple paint and Carnine admitted her hair was now dyed green in places. “We just wanted to do stuff out on campus, and I’ve never done anything like this,” Robinson said. Robinson brought her phone to the event hoping for some amazing photos. “The case I have is water proof so (the phone) has been in the ocean, creeks, the sink. Now here.” Robinson was seen darting across the field,
being in this one,” Bacon said. Bacon spent the afternoon soaking her fellow freshman, business management major Drew Horn. Both left drenched in blues and greens. Luckily the two came prepared with trash bags for the ride home. “It’s been a lot of fun!” Bacon said. “I’m for sure coming next year.”
REVIEW
‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ best adapation yet With two Spider-Man adaptations in the last fifteen years, one might think the story would get rung dry or run into the ground. However for those who groaned and complained that Marvel’s take on Spider-Man would only repeat the story its two predecessors already told, feast your eyes upon Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” This new addition to the Spider-Man films of course follows the main protagonist Peter Parker and his struggle of balancing high school and a secret hero identity, but does not tell his origin story. Figuring almost everyone should already know about Peter Parker’s transformation into the spidey hero, Marvel decided to take a fun detour and skip the origin story to introduce its audience to a new chapter. Although it does briefly mention the important details of Spider-Man’s beginning, “Homecoming” features Parker trying to prove himself to Tony Stark (a.k.a Iron-Man) in hopes of one
day being invited to join the Avengers. Chaos ensues as Parker is faced with stopping the Vulture and his illegal Chitauri-technology powered weapons from “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” while also trying to maintain a social life at school. “Homecoming” is perhaps the best adaptation of the Spider-Man franchise yet. Although Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield hold their own in the original “Spider-Man” and the later “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Homecoming” was more entertaining and endearing with the youthful Tom Holland portraying Peter Parker as a relatable, dorky teenager who just wants to discover who he is. The film has many humorous moments familiar to the Marvel franchise as well as a few somber ones that perfectly illustrate the struggles and responsibilities a hero may have on their shoulders, and a 15-year-old hero at that. While well-written humor calls for more smiles and
Rating 5/5 BY Darrian Breedlove
enjoyment, having heartfelt, piercing moments that show the price and hell of being a hero only strengthen and add meaning to the story. Seeing moments of vulnerability in a hero reminds audiences that they’re people too, that even the strongest and bravest fall at times. Tom Holland certainly shined brightly as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, but the supporting cast also shone. Parker’s classmates greatly displayed the worries and daily lives of teenagers, while the Vulture exhibited villains don’t always do bad things just for the sake of being bad; sometimes villains think their actions are the right thing to do. So with that in mind, “Spider-Man: Homecoming” is a great addition to the Marvel franchise, and by far the superior take on Peter Parker’s story. Although it is disappointing to see the credits roll after such a satisfying movie, at least there is the comfort of knowing there will be a sequel.
‘It’: not scary, but enjoyable In Theaters Now “It” is a well-made movie. The child actors are brilliant and believable, the story pacing is tense and the cinematography is stunning. However, “It” isn’t scary, and that’s arguably the movie’s selling point. Honestly, the movie was the scariest when Bill Skarsgard’s Pennywise wasn’t on screen. I knew he was lurking in the shadows and felt antsy waiting for the movie to jump scare me. Once Pennywise the Dancing Clown emerged from the darkness, I lost that genuine terror and instead thought about how ridiculous and not-scary his shaking back and forth looked. 2017’s Pennywise wasn’t lacking in scary elements in design. If the movie had taken more time with the
camera zoomed in on the clown’s face with Pennywise’s creepy sayings, it would’ve been scary. However, the movie instead inserted an incredibly laughable scene where Pennywise’s face stayed anchored in one place while fire and the rest of his body danced around that center. “It” was far too dependent on its score to provide scary moments based on what viewers saw; I jumped several times because of how loud the music was. Although this version of Pennywise struggled with living up to the sheer terror readers felt reading Stephen King’s “It,” the movie excelled in storytelling. It’s hard to have a band of kids and make the viewers care about every single one
Rating 4/5 BY GabI Wy
of them. The movie did that, making each child’s story sympathetic with friendships to root for. Finn Wolfhard as Richie and Jaeden Lieberher as Bill give standout performances. Lieberher’s performance oozes with subtly portrayed pain after losing his younger brother, and Wolfhard perfectly delivers hilarious, dirty lines that elicited consistent, hearty laughs in the theater. “It” felt like more of a successful character study than a terrifying movie. That may not have been the intent, but the experience was enjoyable nonetheless. It’s one of the better movies of 2017.
6
Opinion
The shield | September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
Screagles Call Question: “What should the local community do to aid in hurricane relief?
Name: Ben Turner
illustration by Abigail stanley | The Shield
Transition tough for nontraditional students by Jennifer hauser jehauser@eagle.usi.edu
Another new semester has begun, and we are working to adjust to new schedules, routines, people and challenges that we have never been faced with. It could be more difficult. You could be in your mid-30s. Imagine being somehow different than everyone else and having a hard time relating to or connecting with new peers. You may feel alienated or not know where
or who to turn to when you need assistance with something. This is especially true when there is almost an entire generation gap between yourself and everyone around you. I am old; not ancient, but considerably older in comparison to most students reading this column right now. I have lived a little more and learned a few things along the way, but that does not mean there aren’t a few things I could learn from younger traditional students. What we do have in
common is the endeavor of accomplishing everything we need to do on a daily basis: homework, studying, meeting deadlines and commuting. What we do not have in common is that when all of that is finished, I still have to return home to my life: working full time as a chef, raising children, maintaining my home and other obligations. Another tribulation I am gradually learning to adjust to is the transition from a community college to a university. The
Antsy, there’s no need to move across the room, because the classroom is the last place you want to start. Outside of class, whether you’re coming or going from it, is your best time to talk to her. If it’s possible to walk with her after anatomy, do that. Discussing class, the professor and the material can lead to an opportunity to invite her to study together. The library is a great place to grab a coffee, get to know each other and still be productive in the subject you mutually share.
Hello Alex, I’m having a hard time talking to this girl that I’m interested in. She sits across the class from me in anatomy, and moving across the room near her suddenly seems like a bad move. What should I do? - Antsy in Anatomy
Dear Alex, I think my suitemates hate my roommate and me. They have their door constantly closed, and they never spend time in the living room, leaving us to feel like we’re somehow forcibly keeping them out of that space when that’s not the case at all. How can we reach out to them?
curriculum is not necessarily more difficult. In fact, it is more interesting when we get the prerequisites out of the way and finally get into our concentrations and fields of study. The main aspect of university life that has been difficult for me during my transfer is that the people I am in contact with on campus and in classes are not like me. We have little in common aside from the fact we are students at the University of Southern Indiana. Perhaps we have more in common
– Sydney, Junior I take it that you and your roommate were randomly assigned the girls on the other side of the apartment, and if that’s the case, you likely don’t know them that well. Your first approach should be to get to know the-girls-behind-theclosed-door when you can. Coax them out of their room with things you feel like they might be interested in. Invite them to activities you like and try to bond over the commonalities that you share. Once you feel like you can interact and genuinely live together, use your living room as a place to convene to do things together. I’m partial to board games in particular. Play something you can all enjoy, and then I’d expect the always closed door to be a lot more open.
Alex, I’m concerned that my roommate spends all his time playing video games, and he
Projects should not cause panic BY OSMAN BIEN AIME orbienaime@eagles.usi.edu
For those whose worst enemies are research and deadlines, the moment of dread is when the two join forces in the form of a major project. But instead of hyperventilating into a backpack, make a plan for yourself. Your big assignment doesn’t have to be a painful experience. When you have a deadline hovering overhead, it can easily get out of control. It is a nerve-wracking and intimidating process to turn in A-grade work, but it isn’t impossible. Break the assignment into chunks. It can be two
hours a day, or even one whole day a week. Setting a schedule and taking it one step at a time is a lot better than trying to tackle the whole thing at once. One must also consider their classmates. They’ve got the same assignment to complete, after all; the process doesn’t have to occur in a vacuum. Sharing ideas and refining concepts together takes a load off for everyone. And don’t forget about professors. They have seen hundreds of students tackle large assignments, and they were once students too. They are here to help. I recently had a similar conundrum with my own project. Again, the project had grown so massive
than we know, but are not likely to approach one another due to our outward appearances being different. At the community college I attended to complete my core classes, there was definitely a more diverse student body. In addition to being more diverse, there were more nontraditional students than “kids” out of high school. It may seem as though I am whining and ranting about my first-world-problems and everything that I am to do as a student
in my head that it had completely outgrown my ability to even process it properly. I decided to visit my professor’s office and seek advice. They had an answer to pretty much every question I asked. Five minutes later, I walked out with a vastly smaller, more focused idea and newfound energy to tackle it. The key is to have a plan of action. Take a moment, slow things down a bit. Work together with classmates, and ask the professor for help whenever you get stuck. You all are trying to get this done, and if you work with each other, the process will be that much easier.
and as a responsible, productive citizen, but that is not so. It is a blessing to be able to attend to the things I have to do, and to still be able to put myself through college and work towards my dreams and goals. So if you see an older person on campus or share a class - strike up a conversation. Chances are that you may not only learn something from them, but be able to teach them something as well.
Major: Studio Art Grade: Sophomore Answer: “Donate clothes, toys, anything that families have lost in the hurricanes.”
Name: Ben Meguschar Major: Geology Grade: Sophomore Answer: “They need donations of water, clothes, dog food, first aid supplies and canned goods.”
never goes to class or out in general. How can I help him? – Tom, Sophomore Tom, I’m glad you’re worried about your roommate, and there are a few ways you can help him. I want you to realize, though, that you can’t hold his hand throughout college. Invite him out and try to catch his interest in things other than video games. If he’s struggling with what he’s studying, seeing homework as a waste of time when he could be playing games, and you’re familiar with the material, you can help him. Otherwise, point him towards Academic Skills, where they offer tutoring.
Submit your questions to Alex at opinion@usishield.com
Name: Kameron Nosoko Major: Studio Art Grade: Sophomore Answer: “Rebuild their homes and set up a free transportation system.”
THE
SHIELD Editorial Board Gabi Wy Editor-in-Chief Riley Guerzini News Editor
Everyone’s got one.
What’s
YOURS? Have an opinion? Write a letter to the editor
at editor@usishield.com
THE EAGLE EXAMINER
Sarah Rogers Features Editor Gavin Gaddis Opinion Editor Taylor O’Neil Hall Sports Editor Megan Miller Chief Copy Editor Abigail Stanley Visual Editor
S ta f f NOW HIRING Special Publications Manager Megan Thorne Chief Photographer Sarah Loesch Community Engagement Manager NOW HIRING Page Designer
Sales & Marketing S ta f f Jon Anderson Sales & Marketing Director Breanna Dillon Business Manager Bailee Moser Marketing Manager NOW HIRING Layout & Design Coordinator
The Eagle Examiner is a weekly non-scientific poll conducted on Twitter (@usishield) and usishield.com.
Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board
Gavin Gaddis Circulation Coordinator Chase Strother Sales Consultant
Sports
The shield | September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
7
All wheels are welcome by Taylor O’Neil Hall sports@usishield.com @lienorolyat
Carrie Burress has been skating since she was a child and doesn’t see herself ever stopping. Aside from a break during high school, skating and all the cuts and bruises that accompany it has followed her from elementary school to college. Burress is now a senior at USI, just two semesters away from receiving a bachelor’s degree in social work. Before her time at the university is up, Burress said she wants to leave something behind for current and future students who appreciate skating as much as she does. That’s why she founded the USI skate club, a club designed for skaters of any kind, be it boards or blades. All who skate are welcome, she said. “We want to bring to attention there are a lot of older people that are skating,” she said. “It’s not just for kids. There are a lot of us out there that are skating all the time.” When the club meets, the focus will be skating. Burress said that could be talking about skating or members skating together which requires finding a place where skating is allowed. That’s why she’s reaching out to Skate World in Evansville to
Illustration by Abigail Stanley | The Shield
The USI skate club is in its first year of existence. Any students and non-students who skates can participate in club sanctioned events.
provide USI students and members of the club with a discount. The club is small now, but they hope to grow. There are six members in the club currently, including Burress, but with all the long boards seen on campus when the weather is right, she’s hopeful the club will be able to expand in the near future. The club’s faculty adviser, Jenn Horn, feels the same way. She said once the original six
members work towards spreading awareness of the club’s existence around campus, that should change. Horn has been involved with the club process from the beginning. In her spare time, Horn skates on the Demolition City Roller Derby team with Burress. That’s how she heard about Burress’s idea to start the club. “(Carrie and I) collectively started talking about doing a skate
alizes her classes aren’t the place to push one extracurricular over another. “I try to encourage everybody to go out and do the things they want to do,” she said. The annual meeting for the USI skate club will be 5 p.m. Sept. 24 in front of the Rice Library. Since no leadership positions have been established yet by the six current members of the club, that will be decided upon at the first meeting.
briefs Men’s soccer slumping in GLVC start
By Taylor O’Neil Hall
Curb your expectations for the PAC
At the Board of Trustees meeting last week, USI Director of Facility Operations and Planning Jim Wolfe proudly showed a video of what the PAC is supposed to look like once two phases of construction are finished sometime during 2020. Predictably, the video picked up a lot of traction on social media. Alumni and “fans” seemed to be ecstatic. Levels on the excitement meter for anything related to USI athletics hit an all time high. It’s safe to say this is an easy win for USI. Release a low-budget depiction of what the $65.5 millions (Phase I costs around $27 million and Phase II costs about $38.5 million) worth of renovations will look like in a year once they’re finished with Phase I, get pats on the back from the community because they like how it’s going to look. After all, it’s nice to see USI modernizing the university. The buildings on campus aren’t old enough or brick enough to give an old brick building ambience like IU or BSU. Glass is the new brick. If buildings can be considered attractive, then the PAC will be an attractive building once finished. But will all those virtual back pats and emojis with hearts for eyes translate into seats being filled when the doors to the new arena finally open? The first season should
club here at USI,” she said. “I’m a faculty member rather than a student, and it just naturally turned into me being the faculty sponsor.” Horn said she plans to be active at the club’s events because she’ll use them as an opportunity to work on her own skating skills in preparation of the roller derby season. Horn said she might mention the club in her classes, but she re-
see ticket sales increase by who knows how many. People will flock in like the new PAC is a bastion of sophistication with its sleek and stylish appearance. They won’t be there for the games, but to see the attraction in action. USI is going to win so much in the next year, they’re going to be tired of winning and forget what it feels like to lose. That is until years two and three with the new, aesthetically pleasing, once was an eyesore, now we love it PAC, when the crowds stop coming. When the parking lots have an abundance of spots during home games and the games become so quiet students can study and watch the games live without being distracted by the roar of the home section. There won’t even be enough shirtless frat guys with letters painted on their chest to spell out “Eagles” in the student section. If the university has trouble selling out basketball games now with 2,600 max capacity in the PAC, how will the games look once there are over 4,800 seats in the PAC? For the most popular sport on campus, men’s basketball, the PAC sold out completely only once, Jan. 16 for the Bellarmine game, last year. Actually, that’s the only time the PAC hit 2,600 attendees in the past five seasons. Last season the average
attendance for the 13 home games the men’s basketball team played was 1,465.5 (56.3 percent of max PAC capacity). The median attendance was 1,309 (50.3 percent of the current max PAC capacity). Over the last five seasons, USI has had an average attendance at home games of 1450.7 (55.7 percent full) and a median attendance of 1309 (50.3 percent full). The USI men averaged 14.4 home games in that span and a median of 15 home games. (With a little digging, all of this information can be found on the USI athletics website gousieagles.com.) If those numbers stay about the same, first year of the new PAC excluded, it’s going to be an outlier, the average attendance then becomes 30.2 percent and the median attendance over the course of the men’s home games becomes 27.2 percent of max capacity. How many new custodial workers is the university going to hire whose sole purpose will be dusting off the new, seldom used seats in the PAC? The USI students and the residents of Evansville don’t care about Division II basketball games. Yes, the PAC will look nice once construction is finished, but that alone won’t make people care enough about USI athletics to actually attend home games.
After starting the season 2-0, the men’s soccer team has dropped two straight games. Both of the shutout losses came against GLVC opponents University of St. Louis Missouri and Maryville University. The Screaming Eagles are now in a 0-2 hole in
conference play with a trip to Bellarmine coming Sunday. There are 12 games left this season, all of which come against GLVC teams.
Volleyball .500 in Dunn Hospitality Invitational USI hosted the Dunn Hospitality Invitational Friday and Saturday.
The volleyball team started off strong with wins over Purdue Northwest and Cedarville University on the first day of play. Then on day two, the team dropped the last two games of the invitational. After losing twice in the Dunn Hospitality Invitational, the volleyball team is 2-6 on the season with GLVC play starting this week.
8
The shield |September 14, 2017 | Usishield.com
FIX MY HOME There are two ways to submit a work order:
First, Is the issue an emergency? Can the maintenance related issue cause damage to either the facility or a person? If the answer is yes, call Fix My Home 812-468-2176 to report the emergency. If you are unable to make contact, call Housing and Residence Life at 812-468-2000. In the instance that you cannot contact either, call Public Safety at 812-464-1845.
ONLINE Fill out a form at http://www.usi.edu/housing/current-residents/fix-my-home/
PHONE Call 812-468-2176
In your message, please include the following: • Apartment or Residence Hall building and number (For example 301 Governors or 800A Branch)
•Cell Phone number including area code •Description of the request, be sure to include if it is in the right or left bathroom/bedroom or common area.
Laundry Maintenance Issues If you are experiencing a problem with a washer or dryer, report this to our laundry services provider, CoinMach, at 1-877-264-6622 or place a service request online: http://servicerequest.asicampuslaundry.com/ Residents should know his/her location and the machine number when placing a service request.