The Shield Sept. 5 2013 by The Shield

In this Issue Labor Day pg. 4

Vol. 44 Issue 3

“Gold Game” pg. 7

Thursday, September 5, 2013

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Student profile: Majority remain close to home at USI This year’s students come from 91 Indiana counties, 39 other states and 64 countries. The majority of first-year students are from the Evansville area – 22.5 percent hail from Vanderburgh County. Up 12 percent from last year, 989 graduate students are enrolled. Female students make up 61 percent of the student body, while 25 percent of students are nontraditional.

First-Time Student Numbers 130 Northern IN 151 Out of State 198 Central IN 14 International 75 Marion 1,709 Total 756 Southern IN 385 Vanderburgh

Enrollment drops Data contends with university’s explanations By JAMES VAUGHN News editor Enrollment dropped again at USI, falling below the 10,000 mark for the first time since 2007. The number of students enrolled this fall is 9,908 – a 5.4 percent decrease from last year. “USI has continued to raise academic standards, admitting only those students most likely to succeed at our four-year university,” Assistant Vice President of Marketing and Communications Kindra Strupp said in a statement Tuesday. “It’s just the right thing to do.” Last year, 1.2 percent of students who enrolled were conditionally admitted. This year, conditional admits account for “just over one percent” of enrollees, according to Saturday’s news

Conditional Admits

Year

Enrollment Numbers

8.8 % 7.7 % 6.6 % 7.1 % 2.5 % 1.2 % ?

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

9,939 10,126 10,516 10,702 10,820 10,467 9,908

release. Planning, Research and Assessment Manager Joseph Wingo said the university hasn’t run

an official number for this year’s conditional admits, but he provided percentages for the past six years.

The most significant decline in conditional admits occurred in 2011, when it fell from 7.1 to 2.5 percent. USI’s enrollment

peaked that same year at 10,820. Conditionally admitted students may not meet all requirements for regular admission to the university and “must agree to a prescribed course of study and advisements,” according to USI’s Academic Bulletin. “Ten years ago in 2003 the freshman class as a whole had an average grade point average of 2.95. Today, that average GPA is up to 3.22,” Strupp said in the statement. Last year’s average GPA was a 3.2. “The result of higher standards has contributed to lower enrollment but, overall, has increased the strength of the student body and a degree from USI,” Strupp said in the statement. The Office of Admissions referred all questions to Strupp.

DATA on Pg. 3

BOT student appointee ‘loves representing students’ By DENNIS MARSHALL Staff writer

The first legacy recipient of the presidential scholarship is now a member of the USI Board of Trustees. A political science major from Worthington, Ind., Brenden Davidson said his mother is his role model. “All my life, she really instilled in me the virtues of discipline, responsibility and hard work,” Davidson said. “The lessons I’ve learned from my mother are the ones I still use today. That’s given me my fundamen-

Brenden Davidson

tals, my solid foundation, and I couldn’t do what I am doing today if it wasn’t for her.” His mother attended USI. She met his father and had Davidson

while she was a student at the university. She was also a recipient of the presidential scholarship. He said he fell in love with USI the moment he stepped foot on campus. “The campus was beautiful, the people seemed really nice and the administrators I met were great,” Davidson said. “I have a lot of passion for USI and I love representing students. I have the students’ best interest in mind, and I think that was the reason I was chosen to serve on the board.” A selection committee inter-

viewed qualifying applicants and chose a select few. The qualifying students’ names were then sent to the governor’s office, where he made the final decision. “One of the main reasons why I wanted to do it was because I feel like I’ve been involved in a wide variety of activities as well as organizations since coming to campus,” Davidson said. “That wide range of interest I have I think spreads out and reaches a lot of students.” The valedictorian of his high school class, he is now serving his second term as Lambda Chi

Alpha Fraternity President, and this past summer he was elected chairman of the council of presidents for his fraternity, which means he oversees all of the fraternity’s presidents on the entire continent. He also serves as a justice on the Student Government Association court. Davidson said his ultimate job on the board of trustees is to get good information from students and monitor the overall feelings on campus, as well as relaying information from the board to the students. Davidson said he has always had a passion to help people, but

DAVIDSON on Pg. 3 The Shield is a designated public forum.

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TOP TEN MOVIES 1. Lee Daniels’ The Butler (PG-13) Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey 2. We’re the Millers (R) Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis 3. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (PG-13) Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower 4. The World’s End (R) Simon Pegg, Nick Frost 5. Planes (PG) animated 6. Elysium (R) Matt Damon, Jodie Foster 7. You’re Next (R) Sharni Vinson, Joe Swanberg 8. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (PG) Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario 9. Blue Jasmine (PG-13) Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin 10. Kick-Ass 2 (R) Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.

TOP TEN DVD

1. Olympus Has Fallen (R) Sony 2. Oblivion (PG-13) Universal 3. GI Joe: Retaliation (PG-13) Paramount 4. Once Upon a Time: The Complete 2nd Season (TV) Disney 5. The Big Wedding (R) Lionsgate 6. Mud (PG-13) Lionsgate 7. Despicable Me (PG) Universal 8. Duck Dynasty: Season 3 (TV) Disney 9. 42 (PG-13) Warner Bros. 10. The Place Beyond the Pines (R) Disney Source: Rentrak Corp. (c) 2013 King Features Synd., Inc.

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News Briefs Counseling Center Open House The Counseling Center’s Open House will be from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in OC 1051. Refreshments will be available, and students can meet the staff and see the center. Everyone is welcome to join. For more information, contact Stephanie Cunningham at 464-1867 or email her at scunningha@usi.edu.

Spanish Film Festival The Spanish Film Festival, a free film series of recent movies from several Spanish-speaking countries, will be open to the public at 7 p.m. Friday in Forum I. All movies will have English subtitles. For more information, contact Anna-Lisa Halling at 465-7143 or at ahalling@usi.edu. The Spanish Film Festival is sponsored by Modern and Classical Languages.

USI Security Incident Log 8/29 - 9/5 Traffic Accident – Hit and Run 9263 Eckles Lane 08/29/2013 4:54 p.m. Closed Injury Report University Center (West) 08/29/2013 7:30 p.m. Closed Traffic Accident Off Campus (See Report) 08/30/2013 1:54 p.m. Closed Traffic Accident OʼDaniel South 08/30/2013 2:30 p.m. Closed Injury Report 950 Varsity Drive 08/31/2013 12:13 p.m. Closed Illness Report 908B McDonald Lane 08/31/2013 7:13 p.m. Closed Fire – Faulty Alarm Gates Building 09/01/2013 12:31 a.m. Closed Fire – Fault Alarm McNutt Building 09/01/2013 2:36 a.m. Closed Property Damage – Other Parking Lot B 09/02/2013 4:45 p.m. Closed Injury Report OʼBannon Hall 09/02/2013 6:51 p.m. Closed Incident Report (Information) Parking Lot E 09/02/2013 4:45 p.m. Closed Fire – Alarm (Cooking) University Center (West) 09/03/2013 9:16 a.m. Closed

You can find all of this week’s incident reports on our website at usishield.com. Information gathered from USI’s Public Crime Log, provided by USI Safety and Security.

Crime Log Key * Case suspended: No suspects listed, no leads. No follow up investigation unless new information arises. * Case cleared: The incident is resolved, suspect was identified and will be adjudicated appropriately. * Case pending: On hold, awaiting new information. * Violation of University Policy: Violation of the Studentʼs Rights and Responsibilities. * Failure to comply with a university official: Any university official, from an area coordinator to a security officer. *Residential entry: Someone walked into the residence. This is different than burglary because burglary is entering with intent to commit a felony.

News

DAVIDSON continued from Pg. 1 he didn’t always want to get involved with politics. “In high school, I attended Hoosier Boys State and that really sparked my interest, as well as listening to former senator Richard Luger speak at the Richard Luger symposium,” Davidson said. “That’s when I realized politics had a lot of opportunities.” He is honored to be a member of the board, but likes to see himself as more of a representative than a politician, he said.

“People who know me would say that I may not be the most talented person in every area,” Davidson said. “But my effort and my determination are like no other and I’ll give everything my best try.” SGA Chief Justice Adam Brothers said some of the issues Davidson will be discussing on the board include the construction of new facilities, improvements to the university and the direction the university is going in terms of degree

programs. “He’s a great guy – a tremendous asset to the court,” Brothers said. “He’s an extremely smart, well-educated individual. He’s very level headed, Brothers said Davidson is open-minded and is a great fit for the needs of the university. He also said Davidson looks at the issue from every angle possible in order to find the best solution. “Just because he is a student trustee doesn’t put

him in any different category than the rest of the trustees,” said Ted Ziemer, Board of Trustees Chairman. “He has the same rights and duties as every other trustee.” Ziemer said the other trustees are very pleased with Brenden’s appointment, and they look forward to working with him. Davidson will serve on the board for the next two years.

USI still attempts 24/7 By BOBBY SHIPMAN Staff writer The crystal ball is cloudy when looking into USI’s future as a 24/7 campus. “I don’t think it is realistic for us to literally embrace the term 24/7 campus here,” said Marcia Kiessling, associate provost for student affairs. “That’s just crazy. I don’t know any institution that does that.” One goal of USI’s sixpoint Strategic Plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2010, is to become a 24/7 campus. “There are three key strategies to becoming a 24/7 campus,” Kiessling said. “Engage students in the process of developing a full-time campus, identify and facilitate activities, spaces, programs and services to offer during nontraditional hours and encourage students to be deliberate in their co-curricular activities.” Each of the six points specified in the Strategic Plan were assigned a committee. “I went to a couple of their (Become a 24/7 Campus Committee) meetings, and there weren’t any students,” Kiessling said. “There weren’t enough anyway.” Kiessling then disbanded the original 24/7 committee and started a new one run by a student majority that met every other week last year. SGA President Zack Mathis is in charge of the committee. USI faculty members were also asked to be part of the committee. “We need them (faculty) to speak up and give us a history of what it’s been in the past and where it could

go,” Mathis said. “Then we could interpret that and see what we should focus on.” Food availability and library hours are at the top of the Become a 24/7 Campus committee’s focus list. “We are very interested in a providing a good service, but we are not going to say we will keep running these (food services) at a loss,” Kiessling said. Sophomore Beth Ann Crabtree said USI loses appeal with a limited time for food. “USI could definitely benefit from a 24/7 campus,” said Beth Ann Crab-

Molly Swihart agrees that food options are what USI lacks. “It would be really nice to have 24/7 food options on campus,” Swihart said. “If I am up at 3 a.m., I don’t like having to waste gas money driving to Taco Bell for food.” The sophomore biology major also became “annoyed” last semester when, during finals week, her roommate was kicked out of the library at 2 a.m. “She had to come study at the dorm, which woke me up because she had to have the light on,” Swihart said. Although hours dur-

If I am up at 3 a.m., I don’t like having to waste gas money to drive to Taco Bell for food.

-Molly Swihart

Sophomore biology major tree, a sophomore and campus resident. “Sometimes students, on weekends, are trying to find a place to eat or study and the food places and the library close very early for your typical college student.” Crabtree also said having a 24/7 campus could provide more job opportunities for student workers and might even increase enrollment. “USI gets labeled a community college even though it is not,” Crabtree said. “If it’s open more on weekends and weeknights, they (potential students) might say, ‘Yeah, USI is pretty cool.’”

ing finals week have not changed, the library has expanded its hours to 7 p.m. on Fridays and 9 p.m. on Saturdays. “It’ll be easier for people who work full time to get over here because if you get off work at 5 p.m. on Fridays, and we were closing at 6 p.m. before, you really couldn’t do too much,” said Marna Hostetler, Rice Library director. Mathis said the 24/7 committee suggested that the library extend hours the last two or three weeks prior to and during finals week. “These are staff members with families,”

Hostetler said. “It’s really difficult for us to maintain those hours. That’s a lot to ask, but they’re looking at it. We are trying to be smart about it.” Mathis pointed out that a 24-hour laundry service does exist. It is connected to Residence Life Service Center in the O’Daniel South housing area. Although to some, it seems little improvement has been made since the student-ran committee took the 24/7 strategy under their wing, some ideas have followed through. USI’s Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center has extended its hours to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday. Crabtree wants more weekend events, she said. “APB (Activities Programming Board) events happen during the week when people are trying to study or have other things going on,” Crabtree said. “Normal universities do things seven days a week.” Expanded library and RFWC hours are small jumps, but Kiessling said she encourages more students to get involved in helping the committee. No one is in charge of marketing for the 24/7 initiative, Kiessling said. The committee is planning to present their recommendations to the Provost Council. Mathis is currently in the process of working with members of the committee to shape a presentation. “I am going to have some money to put toward the things that we think we need to do,” Kiessling said. “Anytime you’re in a position where you can give the students a majority voice and then give them the resources they need is really good.”

DATA continued from Pg. 1 According to its website, admission “in good standing” is granted to students who graduate high school in the upper 50 percent of their class. The university prefers incoming students have at least a 2.5 cumulative grade point average and a minimum

composite SAT score of 1230 or a minimum composite ACT score of a 17. “Overall class size is a puzzle with many, intricate pieces,” Strupp said in a second statement Wednesday. She said having highly sought after programs

such as nursing and occupational therapy, which are at capacity, results in having to turn away a significant number of highly qualified students. “Our graduating classes over the past few years have had high numbers and require a larger pool

on the front end to fill the gap in overall class size left by our successful students,” Strupp concluded in her statement. During the 2011-2012 academic year, 1,841 students graduated, and in 2012-13, 1,606 graduated.

Minnesota students rally behind Egypt democracy By HAILEY COLWELL University Minn. via UWire When he came to the University of Minnesota from Egypt in 2009 to get his Ph.D., computer science student Abdeltawab Hendawi had no idea that many of his good friends would be killed for peacefully protesting before he got back. Though he planned to return to his home in Egypt after finishing school, Hendawi said he’s unsure of what to do now. Hendawi and other University students gathered in front of the U.S. Courthouse in downtown Minne-

apolis on Friday to raise awareness about ongoing violence in Egypt that escalated in early July after a coup ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi from office. “We want to spread the word to Minnesotans and to Americans,” said Tamer Sharafeldin, a University veterinary medicine doctoral student and member of the nonprofit Egyptian-Americans for Democracy and Human Rights, which helped organize the rally. “We just want to let them know what’s going [on] in Egypt.” The group formed in early July as a response to Morsi’s removal from

office and has organized events over the past two months to show support for peaceful protest and democracy in Egypt, Sharafeldin said. Similar rallies took place around the world on Friday in support of nonviolent protest, he said. Sharafeldin said he’s explained to his University advisers and students he teaches why people are protesting the coup in his homeland. “They are looking to have a life in democracy,” he said, “a better life for themselves and for their kids in the future.”

Features

Page 4 - The Shield - September 5, 2013

Local lake hosts Labor Day celebration

USI summer tradition since 2000 By ARIANA BEEDIE Features editor A university tradition adds another successful holiday with Labor Day at the Lake. Each year students travel to Kramer’s Lake, and the Recreation, Fitness and Wellness Center staff treat them to a funfilled holiday. This tradition has been going on since 2000, and students keep coming back for more. Kramer’s Lake, about three miles from USI, is on the grounds of New Beginnings Lakeside Church. The lake includes slides, trapeze, paddle boats, water and land volleyball. The RFWC and the church staff join forces to provide free lunch and beverages for the students. “One of our former

vice presidents thought this would be a good idea for students who couldn’t get home on Labor Day,” Dave Enzler said. Enzler, RFWC director, said Kramer’s Lake is a long standing tradition with Evansville, especially the West Side. “It’s like the old swimming hole,” he said. The staff provided sandwich options, with various pasta salads, cookies, chips and fruit. The university also provided transportation. “Our entire staff is working to provide something for students who have nothing else to do today,” Enzler said. “We’ve even had couples in the past come back and say they met here as freshmen.” It doesn’t happen often,

but every now and then, he said. Doug Horner, New Beginnings Lakeside Church pastor, was also assisting in helping students feel right at home on this Labor Day. “God gave us this property, and we want to do something with it,” Horner said. Many student leaders volunteered to help with this event. Tigui Danke helped for the second year in a row. This year she checked student ID’s to make sure all attendees were USI students. “It’s normally a big turnout,” the senior French major said. “Last year, I helped clean up afterwards.” Some students had no clue this event happened

every year, until now. Senior Chris Brace was disappointed he hadn’t heard of this event until his last semester in college, he said. “I saw something on the International Club’s Facebook page about this event,” Brace said. “Free food, and it’s a lake.” No one can beat that, he said. Whitney Abbott came back for a second year. “I found out about this event last year,” the sophomore psychology major said. “It’s a good way to meet new people and get a workout while not really working out.” The trapeze swing is fun, but if students dangle their feet, they could face plant it, she said. Photo by NIGEL MEYER/The Shield

Evansville theatre holds festival for renovation funds By BRANDY SMALL Staff writer Haynie’s corner boasted an assortment of student artists and local musicians to raise community support during The Alhambra Arts and Music Festival this weekend in downtown Evansville. All proceeds raised benefit the renovation and reopening of the Alhambra Theatre, as it marks its 100th year anniversary. The Alhambra Theatre is rich in Evansville history. John Parker, an event organizer for The Alhambra Arts and Music Festi-

val said restoring the theatre will help downtown Evansville increase culturally and economically. “The outside has been fixed up, and the inside is what we’ve got to work on,” he said. “It needs a lot of love.” The funds and awareness raised during the festival are crucial to the project. There isn’t an exact number, but there are estimates, he said. Parker voiced the needs of The Alhambra, “It is going to take a lot of construction,” Parker said. “We’ve got to get everything up to code and

ADA compliant, which is quite a bit of work.” Parker said the reopening will enable more people to come and make the downtown area vibrant again. Artists expressed the importance of the Alhambra for downtown as well. Sara Rappee, handmade stone and silver jeweler, spoke about the importance of art and public exposure in Evansville. “It seems like we don’t put enough effort into a lot of our history and our culture and this is to try to hold onto some of those things,” Rappee said. “To get the community to come

together to keep them open so the public gets to enjoy them.” The Alhambra Arts and Musical Festival provided a great opportunity for local artists and musicians to connect with potential clients and showcase their talents. Salt the Earth is a local progressive bluegrass band consisting of Amanda Adams, Eric Biesel, and Ben Rodenberg. “This is an opportunity to get out and listen to some local artists and get a chance to expose some people to our music,” Biesel said.

Photo by JIMMY PYLES/The Shield

Philosophy professor wins H. Lee Cooper award By ROBERTO CAMPOS Staff writer In high school, Garret Merriam had a desire to stimulate people to think for themselves. That desire stemmed from his observation that people tend to accept ideas because they’re presented as the way things are. While attending an intro to philosophy class on his first day of college, Merriam found a way to channel that desire – he could teach. “After that first hour went by a very distinct thought went through my head, ‘I said I could absolutely do this,’” Merriam said. “That philosophy class was everything I

Merriam

hoped it would be, it was interesting and challenging. (My professor) talked about stuff that completely opened my mind.” Merriam, assistant professor of philosophy, is the 2013-2014 winner of the H. Lee Cooper Core Curriculum Teaching Award. The award honors a

USI faculty member who teaches in the University Core Curriculum and whose methods are both creative and advance Core goals. “To be included in the ranks of the previous Cooper Award winners is very gratifying and humbling,” Merriam said. “I try to take my teaching very seriously because it matters a lot to me, so it’s nice to feel that my efforts are recognized and appreciated.” Merriam is the second professor to win the H. Lee Cooper award in the philosophy department with Mary Lyn Stoll, assistant professor of philosophy, as the 2010-2011 winner of the award. “The H. Lee Cooper

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Award is an important award because we are a university focused on teaching,” Amie McKibban, previous H. Lee Cooper Award winner and assistant professor of psychology, said. “Having this award really shows that (USI) is dedicated to having good professors and instruction in the classroom.” Humor is a tactic that Merriam relies on in the classroom. He has lectured to other philosophy professors on the usefulness of humor in tandem with teaching philosophy. “Because philosophy has the reputation of being a subject that is kind of dry, incorporating humor can really facilitate

learning on a number of levels,” Merriam said. “It is something that can help students come out of their shells and be more relaxed, and there’s research that supports it helping with memory and recall.” Marian Yoder, senior psychology major, said Merriam is a passionate teacher who engages his students. “He is remarkably skilled at arguing all sides of an argument. He made me question what I believe and helped me make informed decisions on important ethical issues,” Yoder said. “I’m sure he’s done the same for most of his students. Merriam really helps his students thoroughly understand not

only different opinions but their own side of arguments.” Each academic year the H. Lee Cooper Award winner gives a presentation for the university community. A date for Merriam’s presentation is not set yet. “I’m blessed to be able to do something that I love and teach every day, which I find to be a combination that is remarkably rare in the world,” Merriam said. “I’m incredibly grateful for everyone, from students to fellow faculty, to administrators, that allow me to do this because this is exactly where I want to be.”

Page 5 - The Shield - September 5, 2013

Features

Local artist takes on being solo By ARIANA BEEDIE Features editor Local artist stimulates Evansville scene with new interesting sounds. Brett Siler describes the sounds he creates as post minimalism, which has stemmed from many inspirations. It’s a mix between minimalism, classical music and black, sludge metal, he said. “It’s kind of like post minimalism, inspired by composers from the 60s,” Siler said. “They created minimalism.” A few of his inspirations include Terry Riley, Steve Reich and Philip Glass. “The music very much focuses on rhythm combined with stacking and staggering,” he said. “It creates a huge sound.” Siler is well versed in different instruments. He has been playing the gui-

Photo courtesy of Brett Siler

tar for 16 years and the piano for 10 years. This post minimalism sound is a new stage for his career. “Growing up I listened to a lot of punk and a lot of metal,” he said. “Now I listen to tons of stuff, and I saw a parallel with black metal and minimalism.” Just overall huge sounds, he said.

Another up and coming local band sparked the idea of making this kind of music a reality, they just weren’t the greatest. “The guitarist was getting off from the drummer, and every one was just not in time with each other,” he said. “Everything sounded warped.” Siler said it sounded

great. “What if one guy played in one tempo, and then the other person’s playing in a certain tempo where it’s overlapping and creating these polyrhythms,” he said. “I think that’s what sparked my idea.” He has played various venues in Chicago and even as far away as Brooklyn. Siler performs and records for bands and does live sound but currently he’s staying solo. “I’ve been in bands for a long time and they always end up breaking up for one reason or another,” he said. “It can suck when you put a lot of time and effort into it.” It’s very much like being in a romantic relationship, he said. “Instead of having sex, you play music together,” Siler said.

Student development office makes staff changes By ARIANA BEEDIE Features editor This semester brings changes to the Student Development Office with a new programming adviser and graduate student. Jenny Wittstock is taking the place of Kathy Jones as senior programming adviser. A Columbus, OH native, Wittstock has worked with student activities since she was an undergraduate student at Heidelburg University.

“I love working with student groups, and getting them to a point where they realize their goals and helping them maintain those goals,” Wittstock said. Wittstock was hired by the university in July, but officially started Aug 19th. Her position brings a new focus for the student development office. “My job entails advising Activities Programming Board (APB) to bring educational and entertaining

events to campus,” she said. Wittstock has many goals to complete during her time at the university. “I want to do whatever I can to be an advocate for students,” she said. “By helping them be successful in whatever they achieve.” Wittstock also wants to help APB become nationally recognized by pursuing outlets for APB to show their leadership skills, she said. “We’re members of the

National Association of Campus Activities and we’re attending a conference in Peoria, Ill.” she said. “I would hope that USI’s APB can become nationally known for its strong leadership.” That’s a major goal, she said. Another addition to the Student Development Office is having a graduate student. Rachel Gumble 23, is the first graduate student to work there.

Gumble graduated from Western Kentucky University with a degree in sociology and took a year off to find just what she wanted to do. “I worked at a non-profit in northern Kentucky,” she said. “I’ve always known I wanted to go to graduate school.” Gumble’s main position is to serve as a connection between the Student Development Office and the Student Involvement Office, as a resource.

“I want to be the student for the staff and the staff for the students,” she said. Amanda Story, assistant director of student development programs welcomes the fresh faces in the office. “It’s great for us to have additional staff because we’ll have a lot of projects through the year,” Story said. It’s also good to have people from other institutions, to get other ideas, she said.

“You’re Next” I can’t say I really knew what to expect when I went to see “You’re Next.” From the promotional material, I could tell that it was a horror movie involving violent antagonists sporting animal masks. However, upon doing further research, I found out that it was a home invasion movie, causing an immediate comparison to be drawn to the movie “The Strangers.” The movie is about a family reunion gone haywire and the intruders who are responsible for it. However, there is a great deal of tension between some of the family members, which acts as both a recurring theme and plot point in the movie. With a cast of people that I neither knew nor felt like I had ever seen before (aside from one actress that resembled Rashida Jones), I was forced to form an opinion off of the movie’s style and plot line. None of the actors or actresses were very bad. However, as is the case in many horror movies, they mostly gave subpar, forgettable performances. But I don’t think that’s entirely their fault – it’s what the movie called for. With “You’re Next” being your typical suspenseful gore fest movie, there wasn’t a lot of room for character development. What set this movie apart from other movies like it, for me, was its style. Some violent scenes invoked a sense of dark humor in the visual aspect, which I thought worked in its favor and made it feel very surreal and authentic. The animal masks played a part in this because, well, they’re funny looking. I also enjoyed how diverse all of the characters in the movie were. For some reason, it made me think of the movie “Clue.” In short, “You’re Next” succeeds in being different – in diverging from its expectations to set a new standard for home invasion movies, or even horror movies altogether. Rating 4/5

By JAKE TAPLEY, Staff writer

By SHANNON HALL/The Shield

The final beam will be placed on top of the Teaching Theatre for the topping off ceremony at 11 a.m. today. Students can show up early in the morning to sign their name onto the beam.

Opinion THE

SHIELD

Why Syria affects us all By STEPHANIE DEIG

Editorial Board

Staff writer

Editor-in-Chief Shannon Hall editor@usishield.com

On Dec. 18, 2010, a revolution began. Riots, protests, and calls for justice in Egypt incited a full-scale revolution, which then echoed throughout the rest of the Arab world and inspired downtrodden and abused people to stand up and be heard. Since then governments have been overthrown in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and major civil upris-

News Editor James Vaughn news@usishield.com Features Editor Ariana Beedie features@usishield.com Opinion Editor Jessie Hellmann opinion@usishield.com Sports Editor Zane Clodfelter sports@usishield.com Chief Copy Editor copy@usishield.com APPLY NOW! Visual Editor Zach Rothenberger visual@usishield.com

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Letters to The Editor The Shield accepts original, unpublished letters for all of its readers. Letters should be no more than 250 words, signed and have a telephone number for verification. The editor reserves the right to edit for length, style, and grammar. Pieces will appear in The Shield online. Letters can be submitted online or via e-mail.

Guest Commentaries Signed opinions represent the views of the author and not the views of this newspaper. Opinions expressed in unsigned editorials represent a consensus opinion of the editorial board

Page 6 - The Shield - September 5, 2013

ings have occurred in Bahrain and Syria, not to mention a plethora of minor uprisings, which have also occurred throughout the Arab world. According to a United Nations Report, the number of internally displaced citizens in Syria is now more than 1 million due to the civil war that has been raging since 2011. It all began when peaceful protestors lost their lives after their government opened fire

upon them, and more recently escalated when countless people were terrorized with one of the most inhuman forms of warfare – chemical weapons. Their losses are unqualifiable, and one of the most insurmountably horrible things is that it’s still happening and will keep happening. The UN is frozen in inaction because of Russia’s relationship with Syria’s leaders (also know as the Assad Regime), and the most Syrian

citizens can expect now is a small amount of relief aid. We live in a globalized society, and not only that, but we live in a world that has taken upon itself the responsibility through various international agreements such as the Geneva Conventions and the UN Charter to determine, what human rights are and that as people of the world, we all deserve them. Human rights violations should be an affront to us all.

Regardless of whether bombing Syria or not is the right choice, everyone needs to take a moment and educate themselves. This kind of drastic change, a contagious transformation, which has and will reshape the foreign policy of the United States and the international community, should be noticed. It should be discussed. People are waging their lives on the hope that we will.

Don’t be a carbon copy By ARIANA BEEDLE

Features editor I haven’t seen much diversity among the freshmen class. Every year, the first day of classes is the same. Girls wear their club outfits or something they’ve been saving for months to wear. With guys it varies, but most try to pull the freshest gear they own to sport for the first day of classes. I’m not ragging on that. Anyone who knows me knows I try

to remain fresh, especially with my imaginary fashion club, but the difference is that I’m different. I strive to look different from others, which is something that some students don’t seem to care about. It’s like everyone wants to look and act the same. From what I’ve seen, the freshman class looks the same. This year I was excited to see how different and diverse the freshmen were going

to be. I’m not impressed. Where’s the individuality? High school is over. It’s time to shine. I feel branching out helped me find who I am. I’m still growing, and I’m about to become a college graduate. I know I still have developing to do, but college helped me get my foot in the door. I look at younger USI students, and I feel a bit sad. I know there’s hope. Maybe it’s too early

to judge, but the first week didn’t show much when it comes to diversity among the new students. It’s always good seeing the old faces and recognizing the diversity we’ve maintained over the years. I really want the freshmen class to express themselves. I think they have a long way to go but a lot to offer. It’s OK to branch out. Finding new things that past friends called lame is a part of grow-

ing up. In my last year at USI, I want to know that my legacy will be carried on. USI is a big family, and I’m so thankful to be a part of it. As the new members of the family emerge, I want them to recognize their differences and thrive on those ideals. It’s not cool to be a carbon copy. The reason why my friends are coo is because of our differences, not because we try to be the same person.

Stop squabbling over convention center By NICK EBERTZ

Staff writer When I first heard about the new convention center that was in the works to be built downtown, I will admit that I was not happy. $37.5 million tax dollars used to build a hotel with the intent of bringing in big companies that could potentially ruin local businesses? I was not having it. Downtown Evansville needs a stimulant for growth but I didn’t think that this style of

convention center was the answer and I still don’t. That being said, its not like those in support of the hotel are out to ruin Evansville. I genuinely believe that they have what they believe to be the city’s best interests in mind. Bringing in large companies to the struggling downtown area would help to strengthen the economy and provide jobs for potentially hundreds of residents. What supporters are

not seeing is the community that has begun to grow around some of the local businesses in Evansville. Places like the Tin Man Brewing Company, Penny Lane, and PG cafe and gallery have spawned a culture that is uniquely Evansville but far from the apathetic mentality prevalent in much of the midwest. The big business that this convention center hopes to bring in could potentially crush this culture which is still

in its infancy. It scares me that Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and other leaders in Evansville see money as the only solution to Evansville’s problems and would put the community at risk in order to make Evansville grow. I am not an opponent to growth, but a community is paramount and if we want Evansville to thrive, we need to work as a community, not in opposition to each other. Pushing this conven-

tion center isn’t going to help the already difficult situation that Evansville is faced with. Like I said, I’m not entirely opposed to building a hotel downtown and I feel that many of those who oppose the convention center share the same vision of growth that those in favor of it do. So lets slow down, remove the tension and drama, and discuss this like the community that I know Evansville can be.

Sports

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Men’s soccer opener adds the name ‘Gold Game’ Eagles raise pediatric cancer awareness for the month of September By ZANE CLODFELTER Sports editor Looking to build off a winning-season in 2012, Head Coach Mat Santoro and his men’s soccer team opens the USI athletics schedule tonight with a match against Cedarville University in Ohio. “They are a really tough team, and this is a really tough opener,” Santoro said. “Our schedule is really tough to begin with.” The Eagles were a Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) semifinalist a year ago, and are coming off an 11-win campaign under Santoro, who also begins

his fifth year at USI tonight. “Every game matters,” he said. “Our expectations are to improve from last year.” USI will open its home portion of the 2013 schedule on Sunday against its longtime rival Kentucky Wesleyan (KWC). The Panthers, who left the GLVC in the off-season, are now members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (GMAC). The Eagles will also

raise awareness for pediatric cancer in the home opener against KWC,

promotions are a partnership with go4thegoal.org, a site dedicated to raising awareness for childhood cancers. The team is calling it the “Gold Game.” “We expect a really big crowd,” Santoro said. “It’s a very important cause that doesn’t get as much awareness.” USI chose the date because September is Pediatric Cancer Photo courtesy of Photo Services Awareness month. Santoro goes into the home opener with wearing gold jerseys and collecting donations dur- plenty of veteran leaders. ing the game. The game He has 10 seniors return-

ing in 2010. “We have a deep group,” he said. “A lot of leadership comes from the seniors.” The Eagles will open GLVC play at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 13, at Strassweg Field on campus, opening the conference slate against Illinois-Springfield (UIS). USI went 5-4 last year at home and have eight games scheduled this season. Last season, the Eagles topped UIS 1-0, getting the lone goal in the game from Jeffrey McClure who is one of seven seniors lost from last year’s 11-7 team.

Volleyball prepares for start of regular season By DENNIS MARSHALL Staff writer Misfortune is something the USI volleyball team knows all too well, but the lessons learned through adversity builds success. USI played its first preseason scrimmage at Columbia College on Aug. 24, in Columbia, Mo., while competing against Central Missouri, Washburn, Lindenwood and Southwest Baptist. “We didn’t drop a set all day,” said Head Coach Leah Mercer said. “The girls were ready to play against someone else. They were fighters all day.” Mercer, who enters her ninth season as head coach at USI, was a two-time AllGLVC volleyball player for the Eagles where she also played basketball for two seasons. “She’s a great coach. She works us hard and knows her stuff,” said

sophomore middle blocker Abbey Winter. “If we are doing something wrong, she will fix it right then and there.” Winter had a team high 114 blocks last season. Mercer said Winter is more confident going into this season. “She is a weapon on both sides, offensive and defensive,” Mercer said. “Blocking was her initial strength coming in, and her offense caught right up.” USI will start the regular season with Friday contest against Albany State. The Eagles will play four matches in two days during the University of West Florida Hemingway’s Invitational in Pensacola, Fla. USI will also compete against Northern Michigan, Minnesota Duluth and Wheeling Jesuit in the two-day invitational. “This is another opportunity to prove ourselves,” Winter said. “People are already jumping higher,

everyone is looking really strong.” Four freshmen come to USI after excellent high school careers. The new recruits are Amy Zwissler, a middle blocker from Bloomington, Ind.; Paige Newvine, a setter from Elkhart, Ind.; Gretchen Burdo, an outside hitter from Ohio; and Alaina Page, a right-side hitter and settler from Logansport, Ind. Page will redshirt this season. Zwissler is expected to make an instant impact being as she is one of only two middle blockers on the team. “Amy will be right out on the court from the get go,” Mercer said. Winter said all of the freshmen are great players. “Whoever shows up that day and plays, they all are going to do really well,” Winter said. Not only is this team full of gifted athletes, all

of players treat academics with the up-most importance. In fact, the volleyball was one of seven USI athletic programs awarded Team Academic

injuries. Many of the players had to play out of position, but after a 1-7 start, the Eagles battled back to a 16-16 record. “I think we played real-

This is another opportunity to prove ourselves. -Abbey Winter Sophomore middle blocker

All-GLVC last season. “It’s pretty awesome that we can all do well on the court and in the classroom considering we travel all the time,” said senior defensive specialist Kayla Heldman. “We’re a very close team. The bond we have off the court is the same as the bond we have on the court.” Last season the team had to battle a plethora of

ly well together considering the circumstances we had last year,” Heldman said. Last season Heldman (485) broke Amanda Probst’s USI record (475) for digs in a single season. She is on pace to break Probst’s (2003-06) career record (1,490) for digs this season. Another player on the roster who is shaking up

the record book is senior setter Jorae Bradbury. Bradbury is third alltime in assists at USI behind Kim Boehmer’s (2000-03) record (5,344). Heldman said the team hopes to have a better record than last season and win to the conference championship on its way to regionals. USI also returns junior Lauren Deshaney (322 kills), Fawn Ryan (251 kills) and sophomore Erica Oberbroeckling (134 kills). All starters return with the exception of Emily Diedrich, who left the team for undisclosed reasons. Playing at home is a big advantage for the Eagles. Since 2000, the volleyball team is 98-31 at home. “With all of our fans always cheering us on, it helps,” Heldman said. “It keeps us going and allows us to push through all the tiredness and pain and get our wins.”

USI hires new head athletic trainer By JESSIE HELLMANN Staff writer USI’s new Head Athletic Trainer Luke Steele had a hectic experience with his hiring process. His original flight was canceled and his baggage was lost, so he came to Evansville with nothing. He had to buy clothes from Wal-Mart for his interview, but it was worth it. He got the job. USI caught his eye because of the diversity of programs – athletically

and academically, Steele said. “Both the facilities and programs interested me,” Steele said. Steele’s last job was as a head athletic trainer for 16 NCAA Division II athletic teams and two NCAA Division I programs at Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania. “I’ve seen every level (of athletics) – division I, II and III, and high school,” Steele said. “I’ve seen a broad spectrum of sports, and I think it’s prepared me for basically any situation. I’ve seen any-

Steele

thing from small bumps and bruises to fractures and dislocations.” As USI’s new head athletic trainer, Steel is responsible for overseeing

the health care for USI’s athletic programs, especially men’s soccer and men’s and women’s basketball. “My goal here is to provide the best possible health care in the most efficient way, at the same time making sure that everyone is having his or her needs met,” he said. “Injuries are going to happen. That’s a part of sports, but we’re going to try and return them to play as quickly as possible. That’s the biggest goal and making sure they’re able to maintain that and get them educated

on how to prevent certain things from happening.” Steele received his bachelor’s degree from University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and attended Oklahoma State University for graduate school where he worked as a graduate assistant for the football team. It was at UNI where he realized he wanted to be an athletic trainer. He originally studied electronic media and journalism while running track in college. “My dad was a news anchor, so that’s always

been something that interested me,” Steele said. “But I ran track in college and got hurt, so I spent a lot of time in the athletic training room. It seemed like something I wanted to do, and it grew on me from there.” So far, he enjoys USI, he said. “The coaches and administration have been great and organized,” Steele said. “They seem to really support the programs, both on the athletic side and the academic side.”

@usishieldsports Look for our Sports Guide every Monday

Page 8 View from the Cone:

The Shield - September 5, 2013

STUDENT HOUSING

ASSOCIATION WHAT IS SHA?

The Student Housing Association (SHA) is an organization that is open to all students living on campus and represents the interests and concerns of all residential students. SHA makes recommendations on Housing and Residence Life policies and acts as a liasion between campus administration and residents.

Involvement in SHA is a

leadership opportunity

open to all campus residents

Stay Divison I or move up to Division II By ZANE CLODFELTER

Sports editor In July, the Great Lakes Valley Conference welcomed its newest member to the conference, Truman State University. TSU is based in Kirksville, Missouri and is basically the replacement for Kentucky Wesleyan College, which left the league as a full-time member to join the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Bulldogs were well established in its former conference, the MidAmerica Intercollegiate Athletics Association, and now begin a new era after being in the MIAA for 100 athletic seasons. The GLVC has done its job to provide stability to its current members during a time of transition within the NCAA and all three of its divisions. Conference realignment has been highly publicized by national media on an overwhelming scale, but those decisions and movement have an impact on Division II conferences as well. A couple of USI’s former conference colleagues in the GLVC now find themselves in Division I, with the departures being Northern Kentucky (2012), Southern Illinois-

Edwardsville (2008) and Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (2001). Despite those established members leaving the conference, the GLVC has been able to remain a top-Division II conference in terms of competitiveness and quality of play. New additions to the league have kept the competitive balances of the league up, and those replaced are of the same caliber of their predecessors. With conferences in Division I expanding to record numbers every year, more Division II teams are making the jump to FCS Division I football and expanded television rights that follow with it. Eventually USI will face the decision of whether or not they want to move up to Division I. It may be this year or in 50, but until then, the university should be satisfied with the stable

environment that it finds itself in. The GLVC has a diverse membership among its 16 full-time members, and like it other sports and leagues, success goes in cycles. Luckily for the Eagles, a charter member of the league, which began in 1978, they have enjoyed consistent success in league play with countless trips to both GLVC and NCAA postseasons. The Eagles can leave for greener pastures in Division I but it doesn’t have to be in a hurry. Being in a stable conference like the GLVC is ideal for USI, and it’s something a lot of Division I schools wish it had. With money driving the force of Division I athletics, conference expansion and movement will be a normal thing. The key for USI is not making that jump to Division I, before pure stability within the new conference can be confirmed. Football and money earned from it drives Division I movement, something our campus doesn’t have. Sometimes some situations we think we can improve on end up being the perfect solution in the long run.

Sports Quiz

By Chris Richcreek

1. In 2012, San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval became the fourth player to hit three home runs in one World Series game. Name two of the first three to do it. 2. When was the last time a team rallied from losing the first two games of the World Series to win the championship?

WHY WE EXIST?

Our mission is to enhance the residential experience. In SHA, we like to provide residential students a home away from home and serve you to the best of our abilities. Your residential experience matters and we want to help make it the best it can possibly be. We also sponsor events such as Block Party, Light Up the Night, WashA-Palooza, and Midnight Breakfast. For more information about SHA, email Karen Huseman, Assistant Director of Programming, kahuseman@usi.edu.

www.facebook.com/usisha Follow @USISHA on Twitter!

3. Since 2002, only one NFL team has had 13-plus wins in consecutive seasons twice. Name it. 4. Who is the only player in SEC men’s basketball history to have more than 1,000 points, 800 rebounds, 250 assists and 250 blocked shots in his career? 5. Who was the first American to serve as the NHL’s president? 6. Name two of the three drivers who have won the Daytona 500 in back-to-back years. 7. How many consecutive appearances did five-time Wimbledon champion Venus Williams make at the event before missing it in 2013?

Answers 1. Babe Ruth (1926, ‘28), Reggie Jackson (1977) and Albert Pujols (2011). 2. The New York Yankees, in 1996. 3. The New England Patriots (2003-04, 2010-11). 4. Dwayne Schintzius of the Florida Gators (1986-90). 5. John Ziegler, 1977-1992. 6. Cale Yarborough, Richard Petty and Sterling Marlin. 7. Sixteen consecutive years.

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