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The Shield - January 9, 2014

PUZZLES

TOP TEN MOVIES

Top 10 Pop Singles This Week Last Week 1. Pharrell Williams No. 1 “Happy” 2. John Legend No. 2 “All of Me” 3. Katy Perry No. 3 “Dark Horse” 4. Jason Derulo feat. 4 Chainz No. 4 “Talk Dirty” 5. Idina Menzel No. 5 “Let It Go” 6. Bastille No. 6 “Pompeii” 7. Lorde No. 7 “Team” 8. Aloe Blacc No. 9 “The Man” 9. One Republic No. 8 “Counting Stars” 10. DJ Snake & Lil Jon No. 15 “Turn Down for What” (c) 2014 King Features Synd., Inc.

Top 10 Hot Country Singles This Week Last Week 1. Florida Georgia Line feat. Luke Bryan No. 1 “This Is How We Roll” 2. Brantley Gilbert No. 2 “Bottoms Up” 3. Blake Shelton No. 3 “Doin’ What She Likes” 4. Jerrod Niemann No. 4 “Drink to That All Night” 5. Luke Bryan No. 9 “Play It Again” 6. Keith Urban No. 5 “Cop Car” 7. Eric Church No. 7 “Give Me Back My Hometown” 8. Thomas Rhett No. 8 “Get Me Some of That” 9. Randy Houser No. 10 Goodnight Kiss” 10. Dierks Bentley No. 6 “I Hold On” Source: Billboard

1. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (PG-13) Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson 2. Noah (PG-13) Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly 3. Divergent (PG-13) Shailene Woodley, Theo James 4. God’s Not Dead (PG) Shane Harper, Kevin Sorbo 5. Muppets Most Wanted (PG) Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell 6. The Grand Budapest Hotel (R) Ralph Fiennes, F. Murray Abraham 7. Mr. Peabody & Sherman (PG) animated 8. Sabotage (R) Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sam Worthington 9. Need for Speed (PG-13) Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper 10. Non-Stop (PG-13) Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore (c) 2014 King Features Synd.,

Thursday, April 17, 2014 ■ Vol. 44 Issue 30

THE

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IU med school heads downtown By SHANNON HALL Staff writer The Indiana University School of Medicine-Evansville will no longer be housed in the Health Professions Center at USI come July 2017. The IU Board of Trustees voted Friday afternoon to move Evansville’s branch of the IU School of Medicine downtown. More than 400 people waited an hour in The Atrium at the Old National Bank for the announcement of the site’s location. “Our community is starting to celebrate a stronger relationship with Indiana University,” said Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. “It’s a tremendous honor to represent your city with this historical moment. It’s even more special with you ... who go to work every day and try to make our Evansvile and our region a better place.” With about 1,800 students expected to attend the new IU School of Medicine, it will also provide about 2,200 jobs by 2020, and 1,600 more jobs within 10 years. Winnecke campaigned for the downtown site for the past several months. “These new positions will go a long way to bring up the shortage of physicians in this region,” Winnecke said. The IU School of Medicine - Evansville first came to the area in 1972, but it joined with USI in 1994. The program at USI has 46 students enrolled. “I think we should recognize the great work at the University of Southern Indiana,” Winnecke said. “They’ve been hosting the medical school for several years and the success they’ve driven out there has gotten us to this point today.” The facility’s regional economic benefit is expected to reach $340 million by 2020. “(Friday’s) decision is one critical piece in this effort to make our city and our region a more dynamic and more attractive location for investment, growth and enhanced quality of life,” Winnecke said.

Freshman thrower claims records Pg. 7

SPRINGFEST:

A reinvented tradition

Photo by BLAKE STAYROOK/The Shield Students crowd the Ford Center floor during Friday night’s Smash Mouth concert. More than 880 USI students attended the concert at the 11,000seat arena.

By JAMES VAUGHN News editor The new and improved SpringFest gave some students the college experience they had been waiting for. “There were some students that said, ‘It feels like I’m on a college campus for the first time since I’ve been here,’” said Marcia Kiessling, associate provost for student affairs. Though she was not happy to hear it was the first time those students felt that way, she said she was excited they felt a sense of energy on campus. SpringFest returned to USI after a oneyear hiatus, but the university did things differently this time around. Not only did it partner with the University of Evansville and the Ford Center, the SpringFest Committee brought the events onto campus, rather than having them in parking lots where the activities were held in the past. “Students who had to go to class could still participate in some kind of way,” said Collen Schenk, SpringFest committee co-chair. Campus came alive Thursday and Friday as students glided through the air on a zip line, made their way through an inflatable obstacle course, had their palms read and enjoyed a variety of free treats, such as smoothies, while listening to live music. “We couldn’t have asked for a better

week to do it,” Schenk said. “The weather was perfect.” The laser show was a hit, Kiessling said, but the committee will need to evaluate feedback to determine whether or not they will do it again next year. “I think the Dueling Pianos will become a foundational piece because it was just so popular,” she said. USI and UE each reserved 1,000 tickets each for the Smash Mouth/Love and Theft concert. USI’s tickets sold out by Thursday afternoon and 886 of its tickets were scanned in at the Ford Center Friday night. UE had 681 students attended the concert. USI charged students $5 for a ticket, while UE gave away tickets for free. “The choice to charge was very intentional,” Kiessling said. “It gives you a little incentive if you put a little bit of money in the game. We wanted to make it as close to free as possible, but still have them not just pick up (a ticket) and then decide if they’re going to go.” When SpringFest began planning the events last year, the administration was concerned about taking the concert off campus. “It couldn’t have gone better,” Kiessling said. “It was so nice to partner with the University of Evansville students because there’s no other way that we’re ever going to be able to have a setting where it’s just college students that can interact with each other. We part-

nered really effectively together, and we look forward to working with them again next year.” Until this year, the SpringFest concert was always on USI’s campus, but Kiessling said this year’s arrangement worked out much better. The Ford Center took care of the concert, while USI and UE were responsible for selling tickets. “In the past, we bought the whole concert and had all of that risk,” Kiessling said. “The money that we spent this year was more spread out and touched a lot more students than it has in the past...and it takes a lot to produce a concert. But at the Ford arena, they have all of the staffing to do it.” The university offered transportation to and from the Ford Center, but only 25 students rode the bus. Schenk said the committee needs to do a better job of advertising SpringFest events next year. “We could get better at it,” Kiessling said. “But, social media was pretty effective.” The overall cost was less than the cost of SpringFest 2012, Kiessling said. “Even after adding in the income from the concert in 2012, we spent more that year than we did for this year’s SpringFest,” Kiessling said. The committee is seeking a new chair for next year. The application, which is available on OrgSync, is due April 30.

USI relishes clean campus By PAOLA MARIZAN Staff writer Chelsie Ours thinks USI’s campus is clean, but said she would like to see more student involvement. “I know USI has different programs, but maybe if they gave organizations more incentives for students to get involved and more notice that would be helpful,” she said. “It would give students more pride on campus knowing that they helped clean up.” Ours, who is in a sorority, said she would be interested in being part of educational material involving environmental health and awareness. Indiana ranked No. 10 in a North American year-round particle pollution investigation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Approximately 7 million people died globally in 2012 because of air pollution, according to a new report by the WHO. The most dominant and rapidly increasing pollution in the last 30 years is air and water pollution. WHO has linked air pollution to the cause of some cancer cells. For this report, WHO researchers gathered data regarding household air pollution (like the gas from a stove indoors)

and ambient air pollution (such as fumes from a car exhaust pipe outside) from every continent. Assistant Vice President for Business Affairs and Assistant Treasurer Steven Bridges said USI boasts a clean environment. “An approach from the students to help the environment is vehicles, driving and definitely not pouring things down our drains,” Bridges said. The university offers education on how to preserve and maintain the environment, and the environmental and health department would be willing to educate students, he said. “The Office of Public Safety is also involved in this process,” Bridges said. “We work closely with them and the Physical Plant.” He said the university is conscious and always tries to be environmental friendly. “We are listed as a small-waste generator,” he said. “We can’t be compared to big companies who dispose more waste.” The main focus of the environmental and health department is compliance (conforming to environmental laws, regulations, standards and other requirements). “We always try to comply,” Bridges

said. “Then we go into teaching mode and educate everyone about the regulations.” In 2010, Indiana discharged more than 27 million pounds of toxic waste into rivers and streams, said Paul Doss, USI geology professor. He said there are many different types of pollution. Air, water and solid waste pollution are increasing daily. “There’s a big difference between USI and Southern Indiana,” Doss said. “The (Southern) Indiana campus is a clean space; however, the atmosphere in Southern Indiana is not.” Southern Indiana is surrounded by one of the highest densities of coal fire power plant in the nation. “The air quality is low (in Southern Indiana),” Doss said. “It affects campus at times - often during the summer.” In terms of water quality, Doss said rain produces small streams of water that are relatively clean, but are affected by motor oil, gasoline and solid waste once it reaches the parking lots. “Indiana is one of the most polluted states in the country from a water, air and solid waste perspective,” he said. Coal mining creates its own sources of solid waste and adds to the effects of other types of pollution.

Doss said USI employees who are in charge of environmental health do a good job of maintaining the campus. “They are very thoughtful about environmental pollution and have made efforts to reduce the amount of chemicals that are used,” he said. The environmental department has made improvements in the efficiency of materials so that less are used in landscaping to avoid the use of fertilizers and drainage is always kept clean. Doss questions the effectiveness of recycling and said it depends on the student body - the largest single group on campus. He said there is still not enough awareness about how important reducing solid waste is. Students should know that throwing a plastic bottle away in the trash can increases the amount of solid waste. Doss said it’s important for students to remember when they do something as an individual, there are many others doing the same thing, and in the end, it affects all of us. He said students should be aware of their footprint and try to reduce it. “Stop driving so much,” Doss said. “It’s that simple.”

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Page 4 - The Shield - January 9, 2014

News Briefs New project ahead for preserve Blood Drive Monday The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday in Carter Hall. Kappa Alpha and Alpha Sigma Tau are organizing the event. All students and faculty who are eligible to give blood are encouraged to attend and donate.

Counseling Center talks LGBT issues The Counseling Center will host an LGBT Issues workshop workshop from 4 to 5 p.m. Friday in the multipurpose room of Newman Hall. Those who attend the workshop will learn basic information about LGBT issues, develop the skills needed to create a safe and affirming environment and learn what it means to be an ally to those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.

T-shirt swap a success Thank you to everyone who participated in the Student Government Association’s T-shirt swap. SGA distributed 700 shirts in just two days and collected 257 shirts for charity.

Pulitzer prize winner to read poetry Adrian Matejka, a finalist for the 2014 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry, will read his poetry publicly at 6 p.m. Wednesday in Kleymeyer Hall in the Liberal Arts Center. The reading is part of USI’s celebration of National Poetry Month. The event is sponsored by USI’s College of Liberal Arts and the New Harmony Writer’s Workshop, at which Matejka will be a member of the faculty from June 8 to 14.

Student named Miss Indiana United States Sylvia Crowder, a senior nutrition and dietetics major at USI, was named Miss Indiana United States this weekend. She will compete for the Miss United States title in July in Washington D.C., two months after she graduates.

USI Security Incident Log 04/06/14 - 04/12/14 Illness Report

Fire – False Alarm

Recreation and Fitness Center

Newman Hall

04/06/2014 3:49 a.m.

04/10/2014 10:56 p.m.

Closed

Injury Report

Illness Report

University Center (East)

Orr Center

04/07/2014 11:03 a.m.

04/10/2014 3:54 p.m.

Closed

Illness Report

Injury Report

University Center (East)

Clarke Lane Athletic Field

04/07/2014 7:46 p.m.

04/10/2014 6:25 p.m.

Closed

Incident Report (Information

Traﬃc Accident – Hit & Run

Only)

Parking Lot G

Health Professions Center

04/11/2014 11:01 a.m.

04/08/2014 4:46 p.m.

Closed

Closed Harassment Fire Alarm (Cooking)

OʼDaniel Lane – Boon Building

OʼBannon Hall

04/11/2014 2:30 p.m.

04/08/2014 2:20 p.m.

Closed

Closed Code of Conduct – Alcohol Illness Report

Violation

Health Professions Center

Melton Ln – McCray Building

04/09/2014 2:20 p.m.

04/12/2014 12:16 a.m.

Closed

Injury Report

Alcohol – Underage Consump-

Recreation and Fitness Center

tion

04/09/2014 7:11 a.m.

Melton Ln – McCray Building

Closed

04/12/2014 12:16 a.m. Closed

Code of Conduct – Failure to Comply

Traﬃc Accident

Parking Lot J

Orr Building

04/10/2014 10:10 a.m.

04/12/2014 12:30 p.m.

Closed

Criminal Recklessness

Fire

Parking Lot J

Physical Activities Center

04/10/2014 10:10 a.m.

04/12/2014 12:36 p.m.

Closed

Information gathered from USIʼs 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.

By ROBERT GRAFF Staff writer James Bandoli has always wanted to be a part of long-term biological research on USI’s nature preserve. The professor of biology brought some attention to USI’s campus nature preserve at the “Vertebrates of the USI Nature Preserve” program. The preserve, 740 acres of land south of Broadway Avenue, was part of the roughly 1500-acre purchase of land by Indiana State University-Evansville (now USI). It was named “USI’s Nature Preserve” in 2012. Bandoli said Southern Indiana Higher Education, Inc., a non-profit, initially held the 740 acres until 2009 when it was given to USI. USI had no plans for it until Bandoli developed a specialized committee to assess the property biologically and geologically. After his team established a report for the land, he suggested the nature preserve to USI in 2011. Bandoli and his team later became the founding fathers of the preserve. “The USIBurdette Park bike trail, constructed by INDOT, crosses the northeastern portion of the property, passing through forests and some agricultural areas,” Bandoli said. “Other than that, there are no maintained trails on the

property.” The plot of land now acts as light scenery, but primarily as an implement for some of USI’s courses. Associate Professor of Biology Eric McCloud works with the USI’s nature preserve as well. “I’ve looked at butterfly abundance and diversity and the same for dragonflies,” McCloud said. “My current research depends on wild caught material and the preserve is an extremely important source of specimens for the project.” His future plans include a few projects associated with the preserve, McCloud said. “I am in the planning stages for two additional projects,” he said. “A long term project on evolutionary responses to climate change and a long term study of methodology and succession in wetlands restoration.” The preserve offers McCloud an immense amount of scientific information,

Photo by BLAKE STAYROOK/The Shield

USI’s Nature Preserve, which is 740 acres, lies south of Brodway Avenue.

The area is also open to the public. A group of

“However, many of us have our hands pretty full with our research students/assistants and classroom students.” The community’s involvement with the preserve is based Associate Professor of Biology upon its proactivity, he boy scouts set up blue bird said. but he and Bandoli are not boxes along the bike trail. “It presents a nice recthe only people utilizing “I’m pretty sure that reational space along the the preserve. some of the researchers bike trail for the USI and McCloud said several working in the preserve Evansville communities to classes have made use would be pleased to help use,” McCloud said. “Go of that particular part of direct ‘citizen science’ do it. The bike trail is open USI’s land as an outside work and volunteers in to travel on.” classroom. their projects,” he said.

My current research depends on wild caught material, and the preserve is an extremely important source of specimens for the project -Eric McCloud

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Page 5 - The Shield - April 17, 2014

Features

Beer festival highlights brewers’ success Craft Series IV

Photo by ROBERTO CAMPOS/The Shield

Representatives from Indiana breweries gather at Woolery Mill in Bloomington for the 4th Annual Bloomington Craft Beer Festival.

By ROBERTO CAMPOS Staff writer I find myself driving on West Tapp Road in Bloomington, Ind., a small two-lane country road located in limestone country, which probably receives little traffic except for days like today – the day of the Bloomington Craft Beer Festival (BCBF). It’s a sun-drenched Saturday, and my car windows are rolled down as I pull up to Woolery Mill, a closed, historic limestone mill that serves as locale for the festival. That’s when I catch a glimpse of the bumper-to-bumper traffic. Taxis, cars, trucks and hundreds of people are eagerly lined up with one purpose: to converge on the mill and experience a craft beer festival. The mill looks as if it ceased operations over half a century ago. This robust building is slowly being consumed by rust and casually populated by missing windows. It has played host to other events such as weddings, but for some reason seems appropriate for a craft beer festival. Big crowd and a plethora of craft beer I glance at my Doc Martin boots, which now have a gray hue to them due to churning up dust from the rocks that line the ground

at Woolery Mill, when a loud voice from behind says in a friendly tone, “Keep it moving boy. There’s craft beer to be drank.” I pass a sea of families, lovers, friends, colleagues – it seems as if every tax bracket was represented at the festival – with the intent of enjoying craft beer. The 4th Annual BCBF took place on Saturday and recorded its first sellout in its history with 3,300 in attendance, said Lee Smith Executive Director of Brewers of Indiana Guild (BIG). The festival, founded by BIG and several local Bloomington microbreweries, showcased more than 150 beers produced by 50 different microbreweries, most of which were Indiana breweries. “We had breweries from all corners of Indiana and they all converge on this town of Bloomington in this piece of history unique to Southern Indiana, and it really is just a celebration of craft beer and all things local,” Smith said. Nick Ostergaard, a first time attendee of BCBF, was surprised how easy it was to try any beer at the festival and move about, due to Woolery Mill’s size in comparison to the amount of festival goers. “I got to try every single thing that I wanted to try. Everybody was polite. It was a great atmosphere,”

Ostergaard said. “But meeting the brewers, the people that are actually brewing the beer for you, it adds a personal touch and makes you want to come back to them. When you’re at a restaurant or a different bar, that’s the beer you want to get because you meet them at one of these places.” The interaction between brewer and beer drinker is a quality which the brewers themselves also enjoy. “For our brewers to meet and talk with, and really have an interaction with the people that are drinking their beers, it means the world to them,” Smith said. “They’re not the guys typically serving the beer. They’re back in the brewery. … (The experience) inspires them as they decided, ‘What I am going to create next?’” Representing Evansville Fred Hillenbrand, brewery representative for Tin Man Brewing Company, smiled between each of his sentences. “We love representing Evansville at an event like this,” Hillenbrand said. “Evansville had a rich brewing tradition, and now it seems like it’s coming back and hitting strong, and I’m really proud of it.” All three of Evansville’s microbreweries, Carson’s Brewery, Tin Man and Turoni’s Pizzery and Brewery, attended the

BCBF. While Turnoi’s has been established since 1996, Tin Man and Carson’s have recently come into fruition at a time when the craft beer industry is booming. More than 400 breweries opened its doors in 2013, 304 of which were microbreweries like Tin Man and Carson’s according to the Brewers Association. “We’ve only been open for about 16 months now. We’re new, and it’s fun to show how we’ve changed since we opened,” Hillenbrand said. “Tin Man, Carson’s, Turoni’s - we have a good little niche here at the festival.” Representing Evansville, as a brewing community, is something that is important to brewers and a fact they represent when they travel to various festivals. “It’s a very big thing that (Carson’s) does. Everybody that comes by our stand, we try (to) let (them) know that the beer is from Evansville,” said Zac Rascher, Carson’s business manager. “It’s just about letting people know that we’re from Evansville, and that we try to produce great beer.” BIG hosts three annual craft beer festivals. Its next festival, the Indiana Microbrewers Festival, is held in July in Broad Ripple, Ind.

“Oculus” In theaters now Slightly inventive and, at times, spine-tingling, “Oculus” falls short in respect to fantastic horror flicks such as its predecessors, “Insidious,” and, “The Conjuring.” “Oculus” depicts the story of siblings Kaylie and Tim, who lost their parents at the mercy of a mysterious mirror called, “the Lasser Glass.” After his release from a mental health facility, Tim reluctantly becomes a player in his sister’s scheme to destroy the entity residing within the glass. The film ping-pongs between Kaylie and Tim’s childhood and their present struggle to evade and destroy the deceptive demon. One domineering element that impressed me was the movie’s ability to maintain a thin line between reality and illusion. Kaylie, who has dedicated her life to the Lasser Glass’s destruction, thinks she has its tricks figured out and booby-traps their childhood home. She soon finds she underestimated its influence over her as the veil between truth and lie dissolves. Unfortunately, this concept has been tackled repeatedly throughout cinema, and “Oculus” brings very little discrepancy and originality to it. Frankly, it felt like a rip off of Alexandre Aja’s

s dastardly twisted “Mirrors.” It is no surprise the same creators of “Insidious” and “Paranormal Activity” gave us this mildly impressive film. “Oculus” has an unsettling mixture of “Insidious”’s peculiarity with “Paranormal Activity”’s lack of depth and reliance upon generic scare tactics. The storyline did have many shining moments with creepy scenes of trickery and terror, making it an interesting watch and a great horror flick for spooky nights. “Oculus” commendably shies far from cheap thrills, like graphic gore and misplaced penetration - both of which are great movie additions if vital to the storyline. Overall, if you are looking for something askew from the traditional haunt, and do not restrict yourself to original cinematic feats, then “Oculus” is the perfect late-night, mindboggling, adrenaline rush.

By BOBBY SHIPMAN, Features editor Rating 2/5

Opinion

Page 6 - The Shield - April 17, 2014

THE

SHIELD Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Shannon Hall editor@usishield.com News Editor James Vaughn news@usishield.com Features Editor Bobby Shipman features@usishield.com Opinion Editor Jessie Hellmann opinion@usishield.com Sports Editor Chris Procacina sports@usishield.com Chief Copy Editor Armon Siadat copy@usishield.com Visual Editor Amanda Brinkman visual@usishield.com

Staff Page Designer Jessica Stallings

Sales and Marketing Staff Sales and Marketing Director Jacob Ewers sales@usishield.com Business Mangager Melia Rowland business@usishield.com Marketing Manager Megan Lambert marketing@usishield.com Sales and Marketing Consultant Amber Nevels Jon Stilley sales@usishield.com

End animal bias By BOBBY SHIPMAN Features editor For the majority of my life, I engaged in heathenesque behavior. As a young lad who sampled various sports throughout middle school, I developed an appetite for all foods - especially meats. I was the kid at Golden Corral who piled his plate full of murdered meat slabs and sides of carcass trimmings. My outlook on animal

treatment has changed drastically since then. Although I have adopted the vegan lifestyle, I do not judge those not following suit. However, I do become frustrated by those who play favorites. Why does the thought of bludgeoning an adorable seal or caging an orca send chills down one’s spine, but nail gunning a defenseless pig in the head or keeping a cow stagnant in one spot while it is brutally milked for a product that can be obtained humanely

Diplomas should list major, not just the degree

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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

At the end of our four (or five, or six or seven) years at USI, we’re shuffled across a stage where we will receive a piece of paper we’ve spent thousands of dollars on: our diploma. Actually, we don’t receive our diploma until months after commencement but that’s an opinion for another day. The day will come when your beautiful and expensive diploma will arrive in the mail, and you’ll lovingly adorn your new office with it. People looking at the fancy piece of paper will know you did, in fact, graduate from the University of Southern Indiana and what year you did so. What they won’t know, however, is what major you graduated with. When a representative from the registrar’s office was asked why USI chooses not to list the major on a students diploma, she responded “We award the degree and not the major.” For instance, if a student receives a bachelor of science degree, that will be what is listed on the diploma.While this is a standard that many Indiana schools follow, it’s certainly outdated. A student attends a university and picks a major to specialize in a certain field, hoping, when they graduate, they can get a job in that field. Many hours of hard work are poured into obtaining the right to be qualified to work in a field such as health care or education. Why minimize the importance of this by omitting such an important detail from a diploma? I am proud to be a soon-to-be graduate of USI but I am also proud to be a soon-to-be graduate of USI’s journalism program. This isn’t something someone would know by looking at the diploma I’m likely to receive in like six months. Because, not only are we graduating from USI, we’re graduating from our respective programs, and that’s a feat that should be acknowledged.

remain acceptable? This thought process is called animal bias, or at least that is what I call it. People don’t want to know what goes on behind the scenes in the making of their favorite meals. Why? They want to be able to eat those meals in peace.In a perfect world, the consumption of meat would be miniscule and organic. Since this is not the case, I only ask that if you are going to continue to consume meat, own up to

it. If seeing an animal suffer makes you squirm as you eat your greasy hamburger, then you should probably rethink your priorities and re-evaluate your life. I’m sure there are those who may read this article, agree and say, “Yeah, you tell ‘em!” The same people will then go order a boat of cheesy fries for lunch. You’re just as bad. If anything, you’re worse. The conditions and treatment of animals to get

the milk that becomes the yellow substance on your deep-fried potato sticks is far worse. At least animals rounded up and assassinated for their innards are being put out of their misery. Cheese and egg producers are kept alive and miserable. Again, I am not discouraging those who choose to eat meat, eggs, cheese, etc. I am simply saying don’t condemn a bank robber if you shoplift on the daily.

Students should embrace new logo By BRENNA WU Staff writer USI revealed the new academic and athletic logos April 9. The President of USI gave an introduction to what USI was looking for in the near future - “some swagger.” During a nice fashion show, deans, professors, custodians, coaches, players, students and dogs walked the catwalk and displayed the new styles. Students seemed to respond with enthusiasm and excitement, but that might have partially been due to the free swag bags that attendees were given at the big reveal. But, what did students

really think about the two new logos? Athletes were given the chance to receive a shirt with the new athletic logo to display during the logo launch. A lot of the athletes loved the new eagle. The eagle seemed to represent something bold and unique. The lettering even got students excited. The director of athletics noted that the athletics department would receive an entire font to itself when designing shirts, jerseys and shorts. The athletes were ready for new uniforms, but to have brands accept the new logo will take time and effort.

After the launch, students had a general liking to the new torch that resembled knowledge and light. Some students, however, were looking for a new symbol or something that truly represented the USI family. I love the torch. It represents the future of what USI can and will be. USI almost needs to bring the light back to campus. The Campus Store has plenty of new gear and accessories in and ready for everyone to buy. I could not be any happier. Look to the future of the torch and see what the new screaming eagle can offer.

Write a letter to the editor at opinion@usishield.com

Page 7 - The Shield - April 17, 2014

Freshman thrower claims records

Photo courtesy of Sports Information

Freshman Michael Hammonds set three USI records at the Bellarmine Invitational.

By CHRIS PROCACINA Sports editor Many college athletes dream of leaving a legacy at their school and getting their names in the record book. For USI freshman thrower Michael Hammonds, records are only the beginning. In the early stages of a promising career, Hammonds has already claimed three throwing records. He set the current outdoor records in shot put (47 feet, 8 inches), hammer throw (147 feet, 3 inches) and discus (129 feet, 1 inch) during the Bellarmine Invitational April 5. “He knows what his goal is, and that is to win a national championship at USI,” said throwing coach Chris Buckler. “He will be disappointed if he does not win a national championship.” During his high school career, Hammonds went undefeated during the regular shot put season. Buckler said he believes loss at the Kentucky Invitational, Jan. 17, is what

drove Hammonds to his stellar season. “Michael (Hammonds) was the only freshman to make the finals. Three of the other guys are in the SEC in Kentucky and Alabama. These are big-time schools, big-time budgets, facilities, equipment and scholarships, and you know he didn’t win the meet,” Buckler said. “To be honest, he was almost in tears from not winning the meet because he didn’t know what that was like. It was kind of an adjustment for him, and I think it was an eye opening experience for him.” Buckler said Hammonds hit the weight room even harder after the meet and continues to match up with the biggest competition. “I do a lot more lifting than I ever did in high school because I only lifted during football season because I was a three sport athlete,” Hammonds said. “Now, I’m lifting constantly and lifting different muscles. I do a lot better lifting now than I ever did

and I’ve gotten a lot stronger here than I ever did in high school.” Hammonds said getting down a set schedule, involving a nutritious diet along with a balance of homework and classes, has led to his success. “It’s not all about the glitz and glammer. It’s about the blood and sweat and going out and working, and Michael does that,” Buckler said. “Our goal is to be the number one throwing team in the conference.” Hammonds values each of his records equally. “I’m proud of them all because I worked hard for it and that was my goal this year,” Hammonds said. “One of my goals this year was to break every record in college and I’ve succeeded. ... My ultimate goal by my senior year is that we have a track built, and that we have a very successful throwing program, that we produce national champions every year. That’s my main goal.”

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