Graduating USG President, Vice President Leave a Legacy Behind
Julia Cilleruelo Fernández del Moral really wanted another free pen.
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Julia Cilleruelo Fernández del Moral really wanted another free pen.
The lack of a plan for Indiana University to achieve carbon neutrality prompted scientists to call on University president Pamela Whitten for a commitment to net zero carbon emissions earlier this year.
Wearing a mask will become optional on IUPUI‘s campus beginning this week.With Gov. Holcomb’s Executive Order 22-02 likely to be the last of 23 consecutive extensions, Indiana’s public health emergency is nearing its end. Indiana University and its affiliated campuses plan on following suit.Per Indiana University’s online Covid-19 portal, lifting the mask requirement on March 4, “coincides with the anticipated expiration of state and county public health orders on that date.”The portal lists classrooms, residence halls, IU athletic venues, dining spaces and building common areas as places that mask wearing will be optional on campus. It also cites declining rates of Covid-19 cases, in the state and at the university, as justification for making masks optional in these places.It’s been nearly two years since IUPUI students last attended classes without face coverings. Due to initial mitigation efforts by Indiana University and its affiliated campuses, classes were moved online on March 15, 2020. When campus reopened five months later, IUPUI students, like current junior Noel Burns, regained some semblance of normality.“I was like cool, great, I want to get back into the swing of things,” Burns said concerning IUPUI’s return to in-person learning for the fall semester of the 2020-2021 academic year.Burns, a tourism and event management major, would be arriving at an IUPUI campus far from its pre-pandemic form though. Class sizes were intentionally limited and socially distanced. Students were also required to wear masks and undergo mitigation testing to attend class. Additionally, lesson plans for the classroom had to be modified to accommodate students who opted to use Zoom.Needless to say, things were off, but the changes that befell campus life weren’t that big of a deal to Burns.“I don’t think it affected me at all,” said Burns over coffee. “I preferred it a little bit because when you step into a new environment, like at the start of school, everyone gets sick.” Not everybody shares the same sentiment as Burns, however.“I think it sucked,” said Katherine Lachowiez, a senior, who was studying alongside Burns at the campus center Starbucks.Lachowiez, who, like Burns, is majoring in tourism & event management, said that she understood the need for Covid-19 mitigation efforts by IUPUI.However, the move to online classes did alter her typical interactions with the student body for the worse.“Because I'm from Illinois, I was lucky enough to still be here and live down here and have roommates and stuff. But that was the only school interaction I got that wasn't in a zoom class,” said Lachowiez, before adding, “Nobody talks on Zoom.”Even with her classes shifting online, Lachowiez noted that she was able to remain somewhat engaged with her studies and that, “what sucked was the pandemic and the Zoom thing. But, the mask itself doesn't bother me.”“I can’t even imagine being a freshman, though,” admitted Lachowiez.Undergraduates in their freshman or sophomore year have yet to experience IUPUI classes without some form of Covid-19 protocol in place. Making masks optional on campus seemingly represents a step towards a more personal and intimate classroom experience, one which allows students to see the smiles of their colleagues, to witness their laughter, to be just a little bit more human.For IUPUI undergraduate students, optional masking presents an opportunity to experience college in a slightly more traditional manner. That said, it doesn’t necessarily represent the safest possible alternative.For now, Burns will continue wearing a mask whenever she finds it necessary. Lachowiez, who is fully vaccinated and graduates in May, is fine with going maskless. And neither of them is in the wrong.
Despite a bill aimed at modernizing HIV criminalization laws failing to make it to the Indiana House floor, Dr. Carrie Foote of IUPUI sees progress.“Sometimes, even what’s a loss is a win,” Foote, who has been living with HIV for over 30 years, said in response to House Bill 1032 not reaching a vote on January 31, acknowledging that updating decades-old HIV criminal laws is “not that simple.”Currently, Indiana laws criminalize behaviors by people living with HIV that have been proven not to transmit HIV. For instance, Ind. Code § 35-42-2-1 contains a subsection that states a person will be charged with battery should they, “knowingly or intentionally place any bodily fluid or waste” on another person in a “rude, insolent or angry manner.” This section of code, generally referred to as “battery with a bodily fluid,” enhances a Class B misdemeanor into a Level 6 felony if the offender is HIV positive. As Foote puts it, “If you and I are fighting and we’re screaming at eachother and I spit at you, that’s a crime in Indiana. – For you, assuming you’re not HIV positive, that’s a misdemeanor… For me, it’s a felony.” Even though saliva is recognized by the Centers for Disease Control as unable to transmit HIV, Foote – one of over 11,500 Hoosiers living with HIV – could face years in prison if found guilty of battery with a bodily fluid for spitting. It is because medical science has evolved, yet the statutes impacting people with HIV have not, that bills like HB-1032 become a necessity for progress according to the HIV Modernization Movement (HMM), which Foote heads.When some of these laws were enacted HIV was considered a death sentence. “They were created in a time of misunderstanding and fear and stigma. So, we know better now and we're modernizing it.” Foote said, reflecting on the sheer amount of biomedical discoveries made since HIV criminal laws were enacted. Today, HIV is a highly manageable chronic condition. According to the CDC a person with HIV can live a normal lifespan given appropriate treatment. Furthermore, with an undetectable viral load there is, “effectively no risk,” of transmitting the virus sexually.The early years of the HIV epidemic represented a time when fear led to stigmatization, stigmatization led to criminalization and any chance of somebody with HIV experiencing the same life as their non-HIV counterparts seemed impossibly slim. Yet, in a sense, Foote was saved when she first tested positive for HIV in 1988.After dropping out of school and developing an addiction to heroin, she found herself living on the streets of New York at age 18. When her boyfriend passed away from endocarditis related to injection drug use, Foote was devastated. “I was just ready to give up,” recalls Foote. “I was homeless and I was alone. I was on probation. If I had gotten arrested again, I would have done time. And that scared me.”Exhausted from the lifestyle that follows habitual drug-use, Foote opted to accept an offer from her father to fly her out to a rehabilitation facility in Colorado. This is where Foote learned that she was HIV positive from a blood screening done during a routine physical.“What saved me was the HIV, because I said to myself, you're already killing yourself out there slowly. Like, you know, indirect suicide with the heroin… and now you got this HIV that they say you're going to die from. If you go out there [leave rehab], you're really going to die. And actually, in an ironic twist of fate, it kept me in the drug program. So in a way this life threatening disease saved me, because I think if I didn't have HIV, I would have left,” admitted Foote. From then on Foote, a self-proclaimed “doer,” refused to let the typical, late ‘80s HIV prognosis define her“Because a lot of people with HIV were like, I guess I'm gonna die. Screw it. I'm not gonna do anything.” Foote chose to do the opposite. First by working in the food service industry, then by attending school. Many years of hard work later, she earned a doctorate in sociology and has been a professor at IUPUI for 20 years.Foote’s advocacy for HIV may have stemmed from living with the disease, but her background in sociology provided her a unique perspective as to why laws with enhanced sentencing for HIV positive people have remained the same for so long. “HIV stigma is a really powerful social force,” Foote explained. “It's multifaceted and that's where it's not just about education, and the facts and the science. It's linked to stigmatized groups: people who are gay, people who inject drugs, and that stigma is wrapped up in HIV because of how the epidemic began years ago.”According to statistics provided by AIDSVu.org, an interactive online mapping tool used to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS, Marion County has among the nations highest rate of people living with HIV per 100,000. Of the 4,662 people identified as living with HIV in Marion County as of 2019: 49.1% were Black and 10.2% were Hispanic/LatinX, though these ethnicities only represented 35.7% of the population combined, at 26.4% and 9.3% respectively. Foote’s explanation for the concentration of HIV positive cases in Marion County, roughly 590 per 100,000 people, compared to Indiana’s rate of 207 per 100,000 – or even the national rate of 380 per 100,000 – is that historically marginalized communities are affected disproportionately by epidemics. On top of that, Foote sees negative elements of the criminal justice system intertwined with HIV criminalization across the U.S., noting that structural discrimination is the driving force behind minority groups being unequally punished by HIV laws, as multiple studies done by UCLA School of Law’s The Williams Institute, show.She added, “If you have a crime against people with HIV, and then that population is disproportionately black, of course you're going to see more black people arrested, but that's a structural problem.”For all the hindrances that exist within the Indiana code concerning HIV, progress has still been made. House Bill 1158, made it past the Indiana House the same day that HB-1032 died on its floor. A silver lining for HIV advocates, HB-1158 is a public health measure aimed at updating outdated methods of reporting and investigating the activity of HIV positive people by health officers and physicians. Additionally, Foote notes past success within legislation from previous years that “completely removed some of the stigmatizing language in the public health and criminal code when it comes to people with HIV.” By updating stigmatizing terms like “carrier,” into “person with a communicable disease,” or the phrase “duty to warn a partner,” into “duty to inform a partner,” – what Foote refers to as “people-first language,” – positive change has begun to take root. “We are people before anything else,” she reminds me, “just like other people with a disease trying to go about living their life, free from stigma, discrimination and criminalization.” For Foote, hope exists in the fact that updating HIV criminalization laws is not a partisan issue. Although more Democrats seem to advocate for HIV modernization, Foote believes that the issue crosses party lines. “You can't paint this as a blue or red picture, because this is HIV and it's a public health issue,” Foote said, adding that ending the HIV epidemic, “is in the best interest for everyone in the state of Indiana.”“It's a disease that anybody can get. And yes, it disproportionately affects different groups of people that some people may not care about. But the thing is, we actually do have an incredible amount of support among the Republican Party for what we're doing.” Foote said.This is evidenced by who co-authors and supports bills, such as Indiana Representative Sean Eberhardt, a Republican who authored HB-1032, and Indiana Representative Edward Clere, a Republican who authored HB-1158 and has, “been our true champion for years.” according to Foote.While legislation is one step towards eradicating not just HIV stigma, but also the barriers to testing, care and prevention, it’s not the only method of enacting social change. According to Foote, those seeking to become advocates should, “learn about HIV and educate others just on the basics of where we are today with HIV, how it's transmitted, how it's prevented, what it's like for a person living with HIV. Encourage people to get tested, know their status, educate your legislators and make sure you're registered to vote.” To gain a better understanding of HIV’s impact on the world, IUPUI students can enroll in SOC-R 385, “AIDS and Society”, taught every fall by Dr. Carrie Foote, herself. Opportunities are also available at the Damien Center for those interested in making an impact on Indianapolis’s HIV community through volunteering.“We had folks in there advocating for us who you don't always think are gonna fight for you.” Foote said, nearly in tears, choosing to remain grateful regardless of the disappointing result on HB-1032 at the Indiana House. Though legislation may remain the same for the time being, change is seemingly on the horizon.“Every year we win a few more hearts and minds with our advocacy.” Foote said with fervor amidst the face of defeat.To put it her way, sometimes what’s a loss is a win. For more information on HIV Modernization Movement - Indiana, please visit their website.
Uncertainty remains across the nation as Covid-19 continues to surge across the United States, but efforts by Indiana University to mitigate further spread could provide clarity regarding the future of college campuses. Back in May, when Indiana’s peak amount of daily coronavirus cases was still in triple digits, IU President Michael A. McRobbie penned a letter to students, staff and faculty in which he stated, “The safety and well-being of all IU students, faculty and staff is our highest priority.” He added that Indiana University and its affiliated campuses would, “Continue to adapt to new developments as they happen, just as Indiana University has done [in previous instances].” For now, IUPUI will continue on schedule despite new developments. One being the burgeoning amount of Covid-19 cases currently crippling Indiana hospitals, and the other being the prospect of a widely available Covid-19 immunization and its subsequent distribution. When exactly campus could return to it’s pre-Covid social environment hinges on coordination between the Federal government, State government and Indiana University as to how to safely, “Get back to normal.” 8,527 cases of Covid-19 were reported by the state of Indiana on Dec. 3, setting a new peak in daily cases reported. For the Hoosier state, the bleak situation seems far from over. Currently, Indiana (approximately 50 cases) trails North Dakota (approximately 61 cases) in reported Covid-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents, according to IndyStar’s analysis of available data. IUPUI’s spring semester is set to begin on Tuesday, January 19 in an online-only fashion, with hybrid in-person classes starting on February 8, leaving just 10 weeks between the current peak in Covid cases and students returning to a socially distanced campus. According to Indiana’s Covid-19 dashboard, the 7-day-positivity rate for Marion County was 13.4% as of December 5, an alarming 8.4% more than the World Health Organization recommended as safe in May. Contrarily, Chuck Carney, Indiana University’s Director of Media Relations, is proud of Indiana University Bloomington as well as other campuses, including IUPUI, that have maintained a moderately low rate of positivity. “I think we ended the semester of on-campus instruction with a prevalence rate of somewhere around 1.1 to 1.5%,” Carney said via phone interview, “Which compared to the statewide rate is really low.” Carney credits students, faculty and staff who, “Generally did the right thing,” adding that, “It was not easy, but we asked everyone to wear a mask indoors and stay six feet apart.” On top of general social distancing protocols, the Indiana University community stayed committed to wiping off commonly used surfaces and “doing the things that were asked of them,” which Carney believes, “Absolutely had to have made the difference in what's happening on our campuses as opposed to everywhere else.” Simply mitigating the spread of Covid-19 is far from ideal for the future of IUPUI’s campus, to truly return to normal, immunizations must come into play. Although promising developments have emerged in clinical trials, the manufacturing and widespread distribution of over 300 million Covid-19 vaccinations proves an immense challenge. One that the Biden administration has made a priority to meet head on come Jan. 21st. Without a willingness by the general public to get vaccinated, though, a well-executed distribution strategy might be rendered ineffectual. However, if an “overwhelming majority” of Americans receive immunizations, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, believes that herd immunity could be reached by the end of next July. Fauci admitted to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) during a Dec. 1, 2020 video conference that he expects FDA approved vaccinations to be made available to the general public by April 2021. Claire Kelley, a post-baccalaureate student who began classes at IUPUI in January 2020, understands the effectiveness of vaccinations. “I got the flu vaccine last year for the first time in a couple of years,” Kelley informed me, “First time I haven’t been sick.” Kelley, who suffers from Celiac Disease, an autoimmune disease, is at greater risk of contracting and experiencing severe symptoms from Covid-19. Yet, she looks forward to returning to campus so long as people continue to adopt the hygienic trends that have helped slow the spread of the leading cause of death in the United States. Just as IU campuses have provided influenza vaccinations and coronavirus mitigation testing, they “Absolutely will be,” involved with distribution of covid-19 vaccinations when they become available, according to Chuck Carney. When it comes to the challenge of making sure students are vaccinated and classes can safely resume, Carney does not possess a crystal ball, however he does possess confidence. “We have the infrastructure in place, we've got the know-how and it certainly won't be a problem for us to do it,” says Carney, battle tested and ready for the next step. So, as one of the most tumultuous years in American history winds down with seemingly more unknowns then when it started, one thing is for certain, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Efforts like those made by Indiana University will only help us gravitate towards it.