Find out which faculty member accepted the Ice Bucket Challenge Pg. 7
See who’s vibrating the valley this week Pg. 5
#SCREAGLE
FEVER
In this Issue Vol. 45 Issue 2
THE
Thursday, August 28, 2014
SHIELD www.usishield.com
Meet the Class of 2018 Eagles flock to Welcome Week activities. Relive the highlights. Photo by BLAKE STAYROOK/The Shield
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$50 million By RACHEL CHRISTIAN News editor USI Foundation President David Bower grew up relatively poor, which is why he emphasizes the importance of "paying it forward" and helping disadvantaged students get through school with the help of scholarship funds from the university's Capital Campaign. "I didn't have any financial help from my parents to get through school," Bower said. It was announced during the fall faculty meeting Aug. 19, that the campaign has raised $42.6 million in contributions, placing it one step closer to the university's goal of $50 million. "That's why it's important we meet this goal and help out the next generation of USI students," Bower said. The money collected by the campaign will help fund a variety of things on campus, including study aboard opportunities. Currently, 27 percent of faculty have contributed to the campaign, dubbed "Elevating Excellence." The university has raised $15.9 million since the campain went public in April 2013. But Bower and others involved in the campaign said participation from faculty still has room for improvement. Elevating Excellence is the second capital campaign in USI history. The first ran from 1995 to 1998. At that time, 70 percent of the faculty participated, and the campaign exceeded its goal by $11 million.
$42.6 MILLION
EXCELLENC
Foundation seeks donations from faculty, students
Bower said the current campaign began shortly after Linda Bennett became president in 2009. Contributing to the campaign is "an investment in USI's future," Bower said. Donors make a commitment to pay the amount they donate over a five year period. The goal is to have all commitments by December 2015. The university will match any faculty or staff member donation that exceeds $50. Assistant Professor of Political Science Matthew Hanka thinks it's important for faculty to contribute to the campaign if they can. “Faculty ought to give back to the institution that's giving them their livelihood,” Hanka said. “I don't think it's too much to ask to donate just a little.” Students will soon have the opportunity to donate to the university as well. Clare Sheller, a junior public relations and marketing major and intern at the Foundation, started a student campaign called "All In For USI." Sheller said she felt it was important to start a student campaign because many students think their tuition helps pay for scholarships and other expenses on campus, which isn't necessarily true. "A lot of the things that get done on campus and that benefit students come from donations," Sheller said. "And every little bit helps." Sheller said by contributing just $5, students can help support study aboard opportunities, new technology and lab equipment in the classrooms and more. Sheller plans to unveil All In For USI at the student involvement fair Sept. 3.
Campus signage confuses some freshmen By RACHEL CHRISTIAN News editor Jaleigh Bugher remembers a time when navigating campus wasn't so easy - something a lot of new students realized this week. Bugher, a freshman pre-radiology major, was on campus with her parents Aug. 21, the first day of Welcome Week. Bugher said it was pretty easy navigating the campus, but it was a different story back in February, when the family made its first visit. “The first time we were on campus it was horrible,” said Bugher's mom, Julie. “We couldn't find anything.” Bugher's parents pointed to a lack of signage as one of the reasons it was difficult to find buildings on campus.
Claire Findley, a freshman nursing major, headed to the Eagles Roundup Dinner with her parents. She said it had been difficult to find the Health Professions Center, and said signs on campus should be easier to read. “A lot of them almost blend in and it's hard to read them if I don't have my glasses on,” Findley said. “It would be nice if they were bigger.” A group of Welcome Week volunteers who were standing near the Cone said freshman getting lost is a common sight during move-in weekend and throughout the first week of school. “Out of every ten freshmen, I'd say at least half of them get lost,” said Dylan Winkler, a sophomore biology major. Freshmen and their parents were often confused by the
acronyms and abbreviations for some of the buildings. “We get a lot of people wondering what the LA building is or where the PAC is,” said Marley Sills, a junior special education major. Sills and other Welcome Week volunteers said the Forums and the Education Center are some of the places they get asked about the most. Vice President for Finance and Administration Mark Rozewski said USI is unique because it has uniform signage across campus, meaning all of the signs have the same style and design, something many universities lack. “Could the signs be larger? Possibly,” Rozewski said. “But changing all of them isn’t a cheap or easy thing.” He said signs on University Boulevard and around the parking lots has room for improvement. But those kind SIGNAGE on Pg. 3
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