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(09/20/17 7:51pm)
Getting ready for their Friday night show at Joyful Noise, the band reflected on how the group of four first got together to make music, and their favorite moments.
By Breanna Cooper
Bloomington rock band The Cowboys get ready for their third show at Joyful Noise Recordings.
With shows in St. Louis, Detroit, and a Bloomington Walmart, The Cowboys have been making a name for themselves throughout the Midwest. The four self-taught musicians, all Indiana natives, have opened for Screaming Females and have been active in the Bloomington community, playing a gig at Landlocked Music on Record Store Day 2015.
Since 2012, vocalist Keith Harmon (KH), guitarist Mark McWhirter (MM), bassist Jordan Tarantino (JT), and drummer Zackery Worcel (ZW) have been making music as a team. With three records in their catalog, all of which have been released on cassettes, The Cowboys, are preparing for their third show at Joyful Noise.
With musical influences like The Velvet Underground, DEVO, and Brian Wilson, the Bloomington-based group looks to old school local bands for inspiration. Although the band simply enjoys playing music with one another, they’ve had numerous successes. As the most downloaded band on Musical Family Tree, they’ve toured with local group Purple 7 and have done gigs throughout the Midwest.
Getting ready for their Friday night show, which will include new material, the band reflected on how the group of four first got together to make music, along with what they consider the highlights of being a part of the group.
We caught up with the band to discuss plans for new music and their goals as a collective group.
Your band formed in Bloomington, but where in Indiana are you all originally from?
MM: I’m from Indianapolis, our bass player is from Goshen, and our singer and drummer are from Lawrence, Indiana.
Out of the cities and venues that you’ve played, do you have a favorite stop?
MM: I like Detroit a lot, I had a lot of fun there. We played at this place called the Trumbullplex, it’s this big Victorian mansion. It was just a lot of fun, it was open to anyone who wanted to come and it was a lot of fun.
How did The Cowboys form?
KH: Jordan and I were trying to get something together, and then Jordan met Zack, our bass player, and I met Mark at a party. We got together and started playing covers and it started to snowball. Real organic.
MM: We played under different names for like six months or something, and then we took a while off. When we came back together, we really found our sound and Keith took over songwriting, and I think it was around that time that we decided on a band name.
All of your music can be found onMusical Family Tree. How did you guys get involved with the site, and what does a resource like that mean for local bands?
MM: Musical Family Tree is a big part of my musical stuff. It turned me onto a lot of old Indiana bands. Basically it’s a database of bands from this region. A lot of these groups might not have had an official release, so there’s a lot of music that you might not get to hear otherwise. When I was doing my solo stuff, I put all of my music on there and interacted with a lot of people on there. I really appreciate the site. When The Cowboys got together, I made sure to get all of our stuff on there. It’s a cool thing. It’s sort of like SoundCloud or Bandcamp but for local bands. It’s really growing, too.
How did you get involved with Joyful Noise?
MM: I think the last two times we’ve played there, someone contacted us, I think someone we knew and ask if we wanted to play. They ask local bands that they think might be a good fit. I think we all know some people who are involved in Joyful Noise. It’s fun to go there, it’s good people.
Your last album came out in 2014. For this show, are you performing new material?
KH: We’ve got a lot of new songs. We took a little while off, because Mark moved back to Indianapolis for a little bit, but we’re getting back into it. We’re going to record soon, so the (Joyful Noise) show will be mostly new songs.
What’s it like playing new material for an audience? Is it nerve wracking?
MM: For me, playing guitar, if I like the song, I’m excited to play it. I generally like Keith’s songs. If I don’t like it, I’ll tell him.
KH: We usually don’t play songs unless we have it down. So there’s no point being nervous.
The Cowboys will be playing at Joyful Noise Friday, Feb. 26.
Doors open at 8 p.m., show starts at 8:30 p.m.
(09/18/17 12:23am)
After a first half that had IUPUI on the defensive, the Jaguars turned into the aggressors and used two goals from Valentine Pursey to beat the Redbirds, 3-0.
By Ryan Gregory
Heading into the locker room at half time of Sunday’s 3-0 win over Illinois State, the IUPUI women’s soccer team started brewing some confidence and aggression after a scoreless first half.
“We can beat this team. We all got confidence,” said senior defender Leia Peterman. “We just had a boost of energy, and I think that’s what kept us going.”
The scoring got started in the 54th minute with freshman forward Valentine Pursey heading in a ball off a corner kick from senior Krissy Kirkhoff, who had two assists on the afternoon. IUPUI (5-3) seemed destined to convert on a corner opportunity; they took six of them total.
Only 39 seconds later, still in the 54th minute, Pursey had her second goal, and suddenly IUPUI looked like an offensive juggernaut.
Pursey dribbled right to left through the Illinois State defense in the box, not moving fast, but making defenders fold over as they attempted to keep up with her quick feet. From about seven yards out, she tapped the ball with the outside of her right foot and snuck it past the goalkeeper for her fourth goal of the season.
“I’m not very pacey, but I can get around players quite easily,” said Pursey, offering an assessment of how she was able to weave through an entire defense.
It was fitting that the Jaguars got going in the second half. That’s when Illinois State (2-4-1) had given up five of its six goals on the season.
From there, IUPUI found exactly what would work against an Illinois State defensive line that was pushing up the field. The Jaguars started attacking on the left side and delivering accurate center passes to a streaking forward.
Senior forward Beth Parks called it a “snowball in the right direction.”
That approach created multiple scoring chances for the Jaguars, and one was converted in the 59th minute by senior midfielder Hayley Shelton, who made a run up the middle and was found by Kirkhoff from the left side. Shelton beat the defense and ended up with a clean look from 10 yards out.
“We just kind of picked out who their weaker player was and we thought we could run at their right back,” said Shelton, who recorded her first goal of the season “…We just started really attacking off the left side, and it opened some opportunities for us.”
A very similar look almost led to a hat trick for Pursey in the 58th minute, when she made a run through the middle and got a ball from freshman forward Miranda Ricks off the left side. With the goalie coming out on her, Pursey tried getting the ball over her but put it just above the crossbar.
This was a stark contrast from the first half, when the Jaguars were content to play a defensive first half, getting out on counter-attack opportunities when they got the chance. It was a time to adjust to the Redbirds’ style of play and figure out where they could be vulnerable later on.
“In the first half, we just kept compact and made sure they didn’t get anything,” said Pursey. “Even though they had quite a few shots, we didn’t really have anything dangerous go through.”
Illinois State outshot IUPUI 8-2 in the first 45 minutes. Then the Jaguars flipped it to 11-6 in the second half.
The Jaguars went into the second half with the same formation, even the same game plan, according to Peterman.
Shelton said they wanted to test the goalkeeper in the first half and just weren’t able to do it. But after finding a soft spot in the Illinois State defense, opportunities came in bunches.
“I think that was the difference, putting the ball on frame,” said Shelton, “and we got some results from that.”
IUPUI hosts Cleveland State on Sept. 15 for its first ever Horizon League game.
(09/10/17 9:39pm)
We asked IUPUI students how they felt about the previous publication “IUPUI Student Government’s Poor Record Keeping May Violate Constitution.”
By Leighann Strollo 2/26/16
Two weeks ago, The Campus Citizen published a story, “IUPUI Student Government’s Poor Record Keeping May Violate Constitution,” explaining that financial records from IUPUI’s student government, which should be available to the public, are not available. Only incomplete records turn up, and in some cases none show up at all. This is a violation of the Undergraduate Student Government and Graduate Professional Student Government constitutions, which state that records must be maintained. The Campus Citizen asked students how they feel about this.
Last week, The Campus Citizen published a review of a “Jagversation” hosted by the Dean of Students, Jason Spratt, during which he offered a response to the aforementioned article.
“We change so often, you know Den and Oncourse [are] perfect example[s]...The Den has the ability to be a great thing, but it’s just been implemented in January and all [of] the sudden they want five years of records and they’re all over the place,” he said.
As the advisor for both the USG and GPSG, Spratt should be concerned with the state of the record keeping among his organizations and offer good reason as to why certain records cannot be found. While he doesn’t seem to think it is a big deal, many students disagree.
“It’s sneaky. It’s an abuse of power and action should be taken,” Ryan Goins, IUPUI sophomore, said.
“First of all, that’s clue number one that something’s wrong...if they don’t have any records,” sophomore Alycia Newell said. “I’m already worried about Trump taking over. Now I’ve gotta worry about Greco too?”
The Campus Citizen has encouraged the GPSG to respond to all the articles published over the course of the last month. The only response to the lack of records, other than a decline to comment, came from Spratt during his “Jagversation.”
“There’s nothing that says you must maintain, you know, this record for eternity for a student organization. Most of our organizations are volunteer positions; they’re not getting paid stipends. They’re not getting paid, you know, scholarships.”
But none of this is true in the case of the GPSG. In fact it is quite the opposite.
“I feel confused. Maybe they’re trying to confuse me more [so that] I don’t understand what’s going on. Now I’m mad. This requires some action,” Newell added, upon learning this information.
Generally, the reaction from students has been one of confusion, anger, or a combination of the two. Most just want to fully understand what is going on in their government, and how it affects them. The Undergraduate Student Government meetings are held on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. The Graduate and Professional Student Government meeting schedule is listed here.
You can follow our coverage of the GPSG investigation here.
(09/10/17 8:23pm)
By Lynzi Stringer
Re-Generation Indy is a group of local artists who teach art workshops and hold youth art shows. According to their official website, their primary focus for these workshops is youth artists, but they want to spread creativity to all generations, and also work with artists who are “kids at heart.” The ages typically range from 5 to 20.
Re-Generation Indy tries to make their workshops as affordable as possible, usually $5, and they are currently held at Art with a Heart, an art studio located in the building that used to be Public School 37 in Indianapolis. According to their official Facebook page, Art with a Heart’s mission is to provide hands-on visual arts experiences that educate and inspire at-risk children. Re-Generation Indy would eventually like to raise enough money to provide their own space for a gallery, studio and work place for their artists.
All of Re-Generation Indy’s youth art shows are free, but they do accept donations. When an individual buys a piece of art at one of the art shows, which are held at the Athenaeum, half of the proceeds go back to the organization and the other half go to the artist on a gift card to an art supply store. These youth art shows work to help the children learn about concepts such as entrepreneurship, community, public speaking and more.
Sarah Boutwell, one of the founders of Re-Generation Indy, brings a bright, positive vibe around with her. Her eyes light up like fireworks when she watches and participates in these workshops which include anywhere from as few as one to as many as 15 children.
Re-Generation Indy hopes to be able to branch out and do other types of workshops in the future. They already have started doing workshops for the Hollis Adams Foundation, which is a group of mentally and/or physically disabled adults. They do these workshops twice a month.
As the organizer of all Re-Generation events and workshops, Boutwell feels a strong and special connection with both the youth artists and the local artists who teach the classes.
“I think for me, it’s wonderful to see the kids light up when they sell their first piece of artwork, or when somebody is interested in seeing what they’ve spent their hard time on,” Boutwell said, her eyes moistening with tears. “But it’s the adults that come back to me, the local artists that are still trying to strive and make it, that come back to me and go, ‘Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity to teach these kids, because it reminded me of why I wanted to be an artist in the first place. It reminded me of when I was that age, when I got told I couldn’t do it, when I got told I would never be anything, and now I’m teaching what I love to a new generation.’ That’s why we picked the name, Re-Generation Indy.”
Local artist Julie Young is one of the volunteers who recently taught her first Re-Generation Indy workshop, where she played a very eclectic playlist of her favorite songs and encouraged the children to listen and paint however the music made them feel.
“My goal is to help the kids learn to use their intuition,” Young said.
Young was a childhood artist, herself. At the age of four, she found herself glued to the television, fixated on one of her favorite TV shows at the time, Pappyland.
“I can say that I started making finished pieces when I was like four or five,” Young said. “Pappyland taught me how to draw, step by step, and how to finish a whole picture.”
Young enjoys creating characters and stories with her drawings and paintings, pulling inspiration from everyday people and everyday interactions.
“I’ll just sit down somewhere and observe people and observe their odd situations, and I’ll make up stories in my head. Then that will somehow turn into a painting.”
Young is just one of over 30 amazing local artists who have taught at Re-Generation Indy. Many of these artists also show and sell their work around Indianapolis.
Since Re-Generation Indy’s start back in March 2015, the organization has already accomplished so much in terms of inspiring, educating and creating new artists. It will be very exciting to watch this organization continue to grow and build up from where it is now.
For more information, contact regenerationindy@gmail.com.
www.regenerationindy.com
www.gofundme.com/regenerationin
(09/10/17 8:20pm)
By Lynzi Stringer
Viral video character The Drunk Knight is taking Facebook – or, um, Gotham, by storm. From tackling an ice cream man under the drunken assumption that he was DC Comics villain Mr. Freeze, to personally addressing the country’s recent clown epidemic, there is no challenge too great for the Drunk Knight.
INDAFILM, LLC is an Indy based media company made up of David SAX Jewell, Shameer Goss, Michael Guthery, and Joe Kennedy, aka The Drunk Knight. Each member showed interest in making films at a young age.
“It was more about storytelling for me,” Jewell said in an email. “I always had a wild imagination. Making videos was the perfect outlet for me.”
INDAFILM draws inspiration for their videos and work from many different places. Kennedy credits the initial idea for the Drunk Knight to “a very random episode of Two and a Half Men, where somebody got drunk and stood up on a table thinking they were Batman.” Kennedy then said to himself, “What if I was like that?” Thus, the Drunk Knight was born. As an actor, Kennedy is inspired by voice actors Mark Hamill and Kevin Conroy. He is also greatly inspired by actors Morgan Freeman and Ben Affleck.
Jewell draws inspiration from his fellow INDAFILM members.
“I think as a filmmaking team, we inspire each other,” he said. “One of us is always coming up with a crazy idea, and then we all build on top of it.”
Creating a web series can be difficult, but creating one that is so successful it goes viral is definitely something to be proud of.
“It still surprises me to this day,” Kennedy said. “Taking in the fact that people numbering in the thousands, the millions, and other made up numbers have seen your acting and ideas and enjoy them is crazy to me.”
Guthery seemed less surprised.
“I totally did expect the videos to go viral,” he said. “Well, I hoped, considering the obstacles we face while filming everything – actual explosions, almost being arrested multiple times, etc.”
INDAFILM is currently working on some big things for all the Drunk Knight fans out there.
“The current Drunk Knight series is also a tool to build up an audience for an eventual Drunk Knight movie,” Jewell said. “I’m not sure when we’ll get to it, but hopefully soon.”
(09/10/17 8:14pm)
By Lynzi Sringer
A four-piece band of talented and industrious young teenagers rock the stage at all-age recreational center and music venue, Ben and Ari’s. If I Was Royalty plays out their original song, “Sweet Insomnia” with strong and raspy vocals, a hard-hitting beat and bass line, and grungy, crunchy guitar.
Setting the stage with something fresh and new, Preston Nash of Sam Ash Music Store’s program, Ash Rock, is determined to give rockers of all age and skill level a creative space to express themselves.
Nash and Florida-based musician Jeff Stone created Ash Rock together in February of 2012 as a program that places single musicians into a band, and, according to the company's website, "Gives beginner to intermediate players their first rock group experience." Initially they wanted to help younger people who wanted to be in a band fulfill their dreams.
Ash Rock is for musicians of all ages and experience levels, and is perfect for anyone who wants to join a band.
"These are not professional musicians in Ash Rock. You won't be judged for your skill level," Stone said. While Nash and his wife, singer Rocky Nash, had played around with the idea, Stone put a program for adults in motion. "I wanted to help musicians who didn't have an outlet to get back in a band and perform," Stone said.
Ash Rock now offers a variety of band project opportunities, including Ash Rock Originals, a program where participants write their own songs and spend time in the recording studio. There is also Ash Rock Generations bands for adults, which tend to play mostly cover songs.
Teenage songwriter Maren Huelsman, a longtime member of Ash Rock Originals brings an eclectic mix of blues, jazz, rock, alternative and singer/songwriter style to the table. Huelsman is motivated by her ability as an artist to bring about change through her music.
“If I can connect and communicate an inspiring message with my music, that’s just everything to me,” Huelsman said. “For someone to relate and understand my voice, and to say ‘yes’ to the feelings I sometimes think are crazy.”
Huelsman says that Ash Rock has given her a platform to freely express herself with confidence in both her band Chasing Time and as a solo artist. She has recently advanced as a solo artist to the second round of the One Voice, One Guitar competition held at Thirsty Scholar. Huelsman will compete with many other singer/songwriters who will use the same Taylor Guitar each night. The winner of the competition will win the guitar and other prizes.
Other members of Ash Rock share these sentiments as Huelsman. Guitarist of Ash Rock Generations band Zene, Rafael Perez, expressed his gratitude for the program.
“I had always had an interest in singing, and the program has helped me build the confidence to become a backing vocalist while playing guitar.”
While Zene is Perez’s main band, he also sits in and plays with other bands both within the Ash Rock program, and in the Indianapolis live music scene.
“The Ash Rock program has taken me from a home musician of 25 years, to a well-rounded gigging musician,” Perez said. “I have played a wide range of music in the program and I feel my guitar playing has improved dramatically due to the challenges of playing all these different genres.”
Paying homage to the creator of the program, Huelsman gushes with appreciation for Nash.
“He has dedicated a ridiculous amount of time, passion, care, knowledge and wisdom to the program all while maintaining an artistry himself,” she said. “He has helped me discover who I am as an artist, be comfortable with what I am, and he has taught me so much about music theory, business, performance, songwriting, etc. All in all, he’s just the man.”
Video of “Sweet Insomnia”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovIZ9V6_bkM
(09/10/17 7:58pm)
March 3, 2017 Jerome Bingham
As students and faculty enter Michigan Street on the IUPUI campus. They will notice the street is full of orange barrels, dump trucks, and fencing lines.
These signs of construction are going to be common sight for the next eight months on campus. The plan to turn Michigan Street into a two-way similar to New York Street is well underway. As the project continues with phase one, students and faculty are feeling the burdens of the convergence.
Junior Kasen Welling has felt the impact of the construction on her commute from Greenwood. She said the she tries to avoid West Street but cannot always avoid Michigan.
“It’s always problematic, [the construction] could be causing more problems, but I’m not seeing a benefit yet,” Welling said
Others took to Twitter to express their dissatisfaction. Alex Ross wrote that it “makes it worse my dude, it's construction not fun-struction.”
Part of the problem with the construction is the concern of safety of drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists along Michigan. The construction project hopes to address the problem of jaywalking with new HAWK (High-Intensity Activated crosswalk) signs between intersections. However, as the constructions continues, more people cross Michigan outside of the intersections adding to the existing jaywalking problem. Commuter and sophomore Payton Neisler is having trouble seeing pedestrians behind the reflective cones and walls.
“When you’re driving you can’t see people,” Neisler said.
Some avoid taking the risk of going on or along Michigan Street. History professor Rebecca Shrum either walks or rides her bike to campus.
“It’s definitely impacting me as a walker because then I am on New York and Michigan and it’s just a pain,” Shrum said.
When riding her bike, Shrum takes the cultural trail to avoid the traffic and the construction. She looks forward to having a protected bike lane on Michigan Street, saying she was glad the lane would add protection for cyclists.
“That would feel a lot safer to me, I’m thrilled by that.”
While there are still growing pains, many are happy to see progress.
“I love it, I can’t wait it to be finished,” student Steven Gaw said. “I thought New York was horrible, now it’s pretty great.”
Next to the protected bike lane, the project looks to add a sidewalk besides it as well a wider Michigan Street with a median in the middle. Currently the project is in the first phase, which will work on the south side of Michigan. Then the second phase will feature work on West Street. The third and final phase will then work on the north side of Michigan.
Niraj Patel, the senior construction manager for Campus Facility Services sends out periodic updates on the project.
“Crews are currently working on the south side of Michigan Street, between West and Vermont Street,” Patel wrote in a statement.
In addition, crews are working south towards Military Park. While crews are working to put back sidewalk between University Boulevard and Port Allegro, sidewalk is being demolished between University Boulevard and the ET building. Blackford Street will experience closures next week.
With all the rapid construction, Patel wants pedestrians to be on high alert.
“Congestion continues at all major intersections and along the entire Campus Corridor … Please encourage all pedestrians to look for designated crosswalks and pathways; alternate routes may change on relatively short notice,” Patel wrote.
With this project, IUPUI hopes to improve the flow of traffic throughout campus.
“The goal of this two-way conversion project is to improve safety and community access for commuters, transit riders, pedestrians and cyclists,” Ric Burrous, of Inside IU, wrote in his piece explaining the project in Oct. 2016.
As November looms in the distance, students and faculty cannot wait for the project to be finished.
(09/10/17 7:52pm)
April 19, 2017 Jerome Bingham
Cycling can be dangerous. From the bike lane along Michigan road running through IUPUI’s campus to where the Monon Trail ends in Westfield Bike, bikers are commonly involved in accidents and collisions.
Cars, pedestrians, and construction can make conditions worse for cyclists.
Someone who experienced a bicycle accident first hand is IUPUI journalism professor Steve Sweitzer.
Many people bike on the Monon Trail. One day he was biking south, headed toward his home in Broad Ripple. He was crossing 75th street to continue on the trail one moment and the next he felt like he was flying through the air.
“Things were going in slow motion,” Sweitzer said. “Some kid ran a red light and hit me.”
After smashing into the windshield of the car, he felt something wrong.
“I looked down, it was a mess,” Sweitzer said.
When checked out by EMS, he asked one of the paramedics if his tattoo on his leg was going to be fine.
“That tattoo is the least of your worries,” he was told.
Sweitzer spent two weeks in the hospital. He broke one of his legs and now walks with a permanent limp. Still, he was lucky, and the good news is that he can still ride.
The School of Public and Environmental Affairs (SPEA) published a study that tracked bicycle collisions in Indiana from 2006 to 2010. They found that during that time there were 5,314 collisions. Most ended in non-life threatening injuries like Sweitzer’s. However, some resulted in death. Sevenish Law Firm reported on their website that in 14 cyclists died in accidents in 2013.
Riding in Indianapolis has always been dangerous. The SPEA study found that in Marion county almost seven out of 1,000 riders get into an accident.
For those who bike on IUPUI’s campus, their ride can be just as hazardous. Bike riders now have to be more careful on campus due to the construction on Michigan Street.
“Now, if you’re going on Michigan it’s dangerous because the lanes, they get all messed up. It’s a bit scary,” IUPUI student Shehav Khativ said.
Khativ has been going to campus for over a year and he thinks is safer to avoid Michigan altogether.
“If you are going through the buildings, [biking is] much easier, much safer,” he said.
History Professor Rebecca Strum usually has her bike sitting outside her office on the fifth floor of Cavanaugh.
“I live just about two miles from campus and I bike on the Cultural Trail, because even when there is not construction I am not comfortable biking on Michigan or New York, I’ve known too many people to get into accidents, so I stay on the trail,” Strum said.
Khativ and Strum are excited for new bike path on Michigan Street.
Drew Hayden, a junior at Ball State University rode a couple times around IUPUI’s campus. He is glad that the university is starting to think about cyclists.
“It’s good that people are paying attention to what cyclists want,” Hayden said.
While bikers struggle to navigate around the construction on campus, the construction is in place to improve safety on campus.
Ric Burrous of Inside IUPUI wrote in an October 2016 article that a protected bike lane will be built on Michigan Street similar to the existing one on New York Street. This lane will give cyclists safer and better options of getting around campus.
Burrous shared some safety tips for bikers during the construction. He said to include lights and other proper equipment on your bike. One important piece bikers should include on their bike is a bell, which is required by law in Indiana.
For now, bikers should use the trails and the bike lane on New York as they wait for the one on Michigan. Closed toe shoes and other gear will help protect a cyclist when riding, as sandals are dangerous to wear even on a short commute.
Bikers can be safer by following the rules of the road and watching out for pedestrians. While there is not a law about riding on sidewalks in Indiana or Indianapolis, bikers can and should use the road and bike lanes to their advantage.
April Mantel, the Public Information Officer for the campus police stated, “We can provide you with safety tips for pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicular safety. All three do have to pay attention and somewhat work with one another when they all share the roads.”
Most importantly, when biking, a helmet can be the difference between life and death..
For Sweitzer, it is what saved his life.
“I would be dead without a helmet,” he said.
(09/07/17 12:43am)
The International Festival provides students with the opportunity to experience foreign cultures, food, and local community.
By Paris Garnier
For one day each year, IUPUI’s Office of International Affairs goes all out to celebrate what it does each day. Thursday marked the 12th annual International Festival. From 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Campus Center was a destination for sharing culture and having fun.
The International Festival began in 2005 and was first held in Taylor Hall’s basement, then known only as University College. Since its creation, the festival was meant to display all things international at IUPUI and in the Indianapolis community. Just as much effort went into enticing students to go abroad as making IUPUI’s 2,000 international students feel welcome.
“It’s an opportunity to celebrate the international diversity that we have here at IUPUI and also to showcase our academic programs that have international projects and programs,” Sara Allaei, Director of the Office of International Affairs, said. “It’s both a celebration and a networking event.”
The festival was host to not only student organizations but also to academic departments and community organizations, such as the Confucius Institute of IUPUI and Indy Internationals. This year had a record 47 exhibitors representing dozens of regions, cultures, and communities. To be a part of the festival, potential exhibitors just had to fill out the application before the deadline.
Any group that wanted to be there was welcome. Global Gifts sold its wares at a table, Indy Eleven had an inflatable soccer goal set up in the lower level, and 11 different schools from IU and IUPUI represented themselves. In order to host an event that sees about a thousand people in a day, the International Festival needed its own sponsors, so corporations like Barnes & Noble and Chartwells stepped in to help.
“[Community groups] that IUPUI partners with and [that] are engaged in international outreach in the city and central Indiana, we always like to pull them into the festival as well to showcase IUPUI’s local-but-global community engagement,” Allaei said.
Like all good college events, the festival was open to the public and had free food. Bite-sized dishes, like adobo chicken from the Phillipines and churros from Mexico, were served to anyone who stood in line for them. It was a struggle to find ideas for what to serve that was both new to students and easy to serve in sample bites.
Hayley Powell, the Logistics Coordinator for the event, urged student organizations to
submit their own recipes because “then we know it’s from their home countries. And they can come and do a food tasting before, so we make sure it actually is what you would expect.”
“The idea behind it is to expose IUPUI students to foods that they may not have tried from different places and have input from a lot of different groups about what type of food is offered,” Evelyn Hovee, Assistant Director for International Admissions, said.
Along with food came live entertainment from across the globe. Chinese fan dance and martial artists, Bollywood dancers, and the IUPUI Swing Cats all graced the stage. Organizers like the performances in particular.
“Walking into the campus center and hearing the music, seeing the performances surrounded by all the flags that are displayed, it really makes quite a spectacle,” Allaei said.
Student organizations enjoy the festival because it gives them ample opportunity to recruit new members and represent themselves.
“We like to show that our organization’s active,” Justin Eitniear, president of the Asian Student Union, said. “We also like to meet new people.”
“Our club is built on community. Most times we don’t do info tables; it’s a matter of word of the mouth. And basically what we wanted to show is what our culture is all about, and if anybody has any questions to ask about Africa as a continent and what does it entail,” Adetoun Akinmboni, USG representative for the
African Student Association said.
“That’s why we’re here today.”
Students running their booths often expressed that the diversity among the groups was one of the best things about the festival.
“It’s definitely seeing more diverse clubs, ‘cause most times you just hear about it but you don’t know that we exist on campus,” Akinmboni said.
“[My favorite part is] the collaboration between a lot of cultures and ethnicities, and they’re coming together and having this great
program where everyone can learn about different cultures,” Eitniear said.
(09/07/17 12:34am)
Thursday evening saw an unprecedented public hearing about the complaints filed against the recent USG election winners Mosopefoluwa “Sope” Ladapo and Michael Thompson.
By Paris Garnier
After one of the biggest elections in Undergraduate Student Government’s history, a hearing was held Thursday night to determine if the allegations against Mosopefoluwa “Sope” Ladapo and Michael Thompson were true.
The hearing itself took place in room BS 2006 in the business building at 6:15 p.m. and lasted for an hour and a half. The hearing was public and originally slated to be in the Campus Center, but was changed because the available rooms were too small. The audience spilled out into the hallway after the room reached maximum capacity.
As explained in previous articles, Ladapo and Thompson had complaints filed against them by Jamie Collier. The complaints were six counts of “campaigning in a study area” and one count of voter fraud. In the hearing, each complaint was individually examined by the committee, as they were before in a private meeting to determine if the complaints fit format guidelines.
Before either party made their case, the Elections Hearing Parliamentary Procedures were read off. Procedure dictated that the hearing would be public, quorum for the committee would be reached before it began, and dictated who may speak and when. Only those who were involved in the complaints could speak and no interruptions would be tolerated.
The committee emphasized that final decisions about sanction points would not be decided at that evening and that there would be a private 24 hour deliberation period before a public announcement. The hearing was to see if the complaints were valid based on both parties’ arguments and evidence.
The hearing was straightforward: each party was granted an opening and closing statement for each complaint, as well as a time for the committee to ask questions in between. The order in which statements were given alternated between each party. Opening statements were two minutes long and closing statements were one minute long. Only Ladapo and Collier spoke.
Committee members questioned why Collier filed six separate complaints despite the pictures being taken on the same day and the nature of the pictures being identical. Collier explained that multiple images showed a repeated violation.
Ladapo said that friends took the pictures and uploaded some to the “Sope and Thompson” campaign Facebook page without being asked by Ladapo or Thompson. Later, Ladapo and Thompson uploaded some images that they had been sent. He also said that only he and Thompson were official campaign members and that the friends who uploaded the pictures were neither paid nor asked to volunteer.
Collier stated that, because Ladapo and Thompson didn’t remove the images and put several up on their own, “they allowed for the violation to happen.” Collier repeated that it was a matter of violating the code, something that both Ladapo and Collier are familiar with, having served on the USG Elections Committee together.
Ladapo argued that there was no evidence of a disruption in the library; Collier argued that there was no evidence that taking the pictures didn’t cause a disruption.
Collier said that Ladapo and Thompson posting a number of images shows a disregard for the elections code. Ladapo pointed out that the code does not specify if taking pictures or video is considered a disruption, or even considered campaigning.
“[The committee] cannot punish us for something that is not in the code,” he said.
The committee asked both Collier and Ladapo how they defined a disruption in context to the situation. Ladapo answered that a disruption would be convincing individuals to vote, while Collier said that a disruption is distracting a student from what they were doing. They were also questioned about the nature of a disruption in regard to the noise restricted third floor and the group-study fourth floor.
The friendship between Collier and Ladapo was brought to light when the committee asked Collier why he did not reach out to Ladapo before filing the complaints. Collier answered that he regretted not speaking to Ladapo and warning him about the pictures, but did not regret filing the complaints. In one of his statements, Ladapo referred to Collier as a former friend.
Ladapo said that the final complaint of voter fraud was hearsay and “the most egregious of the complaints.” Collier said that he received information from an anonymous source that Cynthia Morraz intimidated voters in the Multicultural Center; Morraz was the one who took the picture in complaint seven of a student holding an “I voted for Sope & Thompson” sign in front of a still-active online voting page.
Morraz, who is close to Ladapo, said she felt attacked.
“I was basically called a bully by Jamie on his statement when he was in there. So that’s interesting because [the student in image seven] is my friend, he is Sope’s friend.”
Ladapo himself felt that the claims were a waste of time and invalid, something that he repeated multiple times during the hearing, which he found “interesting, to say the least.”
“I didn’t know what to expect going into it. There were a lot of misconceptions that I had about the process and … as soon as I walked into the room i realized some things that we hadn’t taken into account about the process, about how it was going to go down,” he said.
Dozens of students attended the hearing to show support or just get a better understanding of the situation.
“[I’m] not really involved, just a concerned citizen, I guess. I really just want to see what happens,” IUPUI junior John Ery said. “Honestly, I didn’t vote for Sope or Michael, but I do find it difficult to forge an online election.”
“I want to know who USG is. I want to know who is in charge. I want to know why these results aren’t the way they are. Why aren’t Thompson and Sope in office?” Silvia Thomas, an IUPUI sophomore, said.
“Sope and I are both Social Justice Scholars together. So that’s how I know Sope, but that's not the only reason I voted for him and not the only reason I’ve supported him and his campaign, because I think that Sope and Michael both bring unique perspectives that work together and they’re really looking to change the way IUPUI works,” IUPUI junior Cassandra Govert said.
“My hopes are that the complaints don’t go through and that we don’t get any more sanction points,” Govert said. “My concern is that this won’t exactly be entirely fair.”
(09/07/17 12:28am)
Take a look at the outcome of the public hearing over the most recent USG vote.
By Paris Garnier
For those who don’t already know, IUPUI’s Undergraduate Student Government had an unprecedented public hearing over voter fraud complaints last night.
Mosopefoluwa Ladapo and Michael Thompson, known as “Sope and Thompson,” won the election by 31 votes. Shortly thereafter, Jamie Collier filed seven complaints against them; five complaints of campaigning in the library, one about online voting, and one complaint of voter fraud. Each complaint carried a number of infraction points, totalling at 19.
Eight points is enough to remove an elected official from their position. Collier recommended eight points for the seventh complaint alone.
The first five complaints were identical. When he spoke, Collier acknowledged that the complaints seemed repetitive and petty, but that he viewed them as a blatant disregard for the elections code. I thought that the sixth was forgettable. The seventh was a bit of a stretch.
My thoughts on the complaints were commonly shared. There were too many. It was easy to become suspicious of the intent behind filing so many.
The hearing wasn’t all that dramatic. The only time president Niki DaSilva used her gavel was when Ladapo heatedly addressed the audience instead of the committee. But even I felt the betrayal in Ladapo’s voice when he shifted from present to past tense when talking about Collier being his friend.
After about 23 hours and 50 minutes of waiting with exasperated breath, the results are in.
Ladapo and Thompson received a total of six points, just enough to save their skins. However, they had previously received two points for failing to submit a financial statement by the deadline. That brings their total to eight.
They’re gone.
As I read the statement, I could feel some surprise welling in my chest. I thought they made it, that they would just have to tread on thin ice for the duration of their stay in office. Those last two points threw me for a loop.
I was surprised to see that the committee threw the sixth complaint out. This decision wasn’t as cut and dry as I thought it would be. But the committee still gave Ladapo and Thompson just enough points to boot them.
The suspicion of the establishment is infectious.
Talk of Ladapo and Thompson’s opposition ghostwriting the complaints has been swirling among their supporters. I received a number of “no comment” responses last night from people who I can only guess were in favor of Collier.
I can only speculate as to Collier’s motivations for filing so many complaints. I’ll probably never know what went on among the committee members in the last 24 hours.
But my gut tells me to be skeptical.
(09/07/17 12:25am)
This morning saw the latest installment of the Collier v. Sope hearings.
By Paris Garnier
For the second weekend in a row, the Undergraduate Student Government has convened for special hearings on alleged voter fraud in the 2016 undergraduate presidential elections.
The appellants, Sope Ladapo and Michael Thompson, sought to have their sanction points vacated by Supreme Court of Student Governance. Niki DaSilva and Bryor Scheper represented the USG elections committee in defense of their decision.
The hearing occurred at 8 a.m. in ET 202 and lasted about 50 minutes. While the venue for last week’s hearing reached capacity forcing students to listen from the hallway, this week’s venue was able to accommodate everyone. The results of the hearing will not be released until after a 48 hour period in which the court can deliberate.
After introductions by Chief Justice Eliut Justus, the appellees and appellants were given 20 minutes to argue their cases. The judges could question the speakers and refer to evidence and briefs provided by both parties.
One question the justices took a closer look at was what constitutes a disruption in the library. Ladapo said taking a picture or selfie is not disruptive in and of itself. Justus asked if Ladapo thought thought taking a picture with the flash on was disruptive and Ladapo said yes.
Thompson then addressed the court saying that turning the flash off is a simple matter and that he had taken a picture of the court while Ladapo was speaking and no one had noticed. He also showed a video featuring an IUPUI librarian explaining the library’s policy on disruptions and that no complaint of a disruption had been filed with the library.
One of Ladapo’s central arguments was the definition of campaigning. He explained that the signs shown in the pictures said “voted” not “vote” and that they were a statement of an act, rather than encouragement for others.
Thompson also brought up that he was not permitted to speak at last week’s hearing. DaSilva and Scheper explained that since his name was not on Ladapo’s reply brief, he could not speak. Thompson said that the infraction points being bundled together, despite separate complaints being filed, was unfair.
Scheper and DaSilva defended the committee’s actions by stating the complaints were evaluated individually but grouped together, because the infractions appeared to be habitual and points can be given in groups. DaSilva insisted that it was not a personal matter or vendetta, but the elections committee following proper procedure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKdHg18Vr94
As to the fairness of the hearing, some had more faith than others.
“I think there’s definitely some errors where, like, I mean it was said at the beginning where the elections code needs to be clarified. But the system that we’ve got right now, they did a very good job,” USG Vice President Chaz Rhoutsong said.
When asked if the student body was adequately represented by the hearings, Ladapo responded with “no comment.”
For updates or questions about the case, follow @CampusCitizen, @StrawberriPari, and @DavidSchroeder_.
(09/07/17 12:20am)
By Paris Garnier
Three weeks ago allegations of voter fraud were brought against Sope Ladapo and Michael Thompson. The complaints were heard by the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) elections committee resulting in Ladapo and Thompson receiving six sanction points, which disqualified them from the election.
This all began three weeks ago.
Three weeks ago allegations of voter fraudwere brought against Sope Ladapo and Michael Thompson. The complaints were heard by the Undergraduate Student Government (USG) elections committee resulting in Ladapo and Thompson receiving six sanction points, which disqualified them from the election.
Ladapo and Thompson then filed an appeal with sanctions, but the USG legislature had to vote to accept or reject the court’s ruling. This was the result of conflicting language in the USG elections code and the USG constitution regarding the court’s power. In the elections code, final authority is given to the court, but in the constitution final authority is given to the legislature.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtYRTUcs_s0
At noon today the 28 USG senators in attendance voted to approve the court’s recommendation. By accepting the court’s recommendation Sope and Thompson were officially victorious in the 2016 USG presidential elections.
Each senator had to sign in to receive a paper ballot. There was some confusion as to what senators needed to write on their slips. Writing “yay” would support the supreme court’s ruling and place Ladapo and Thompson in office. Writing “nay” would support overruling the court’s recommendation.
Ballots were kept for the record. Some senators expressed concern about the legitimacy of the vote count and chose to watch the ballots be counted at the front of the room.
The vote was 17-11 in favor of approving the court’s ruling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8xfAC-2y-k
Collier v. Sope is over and many of the parties involved expressed relief at the prospect of the USG being able to move forward with their work.
“I feel like I’m gonna go home and cry for three hours, honestly. I’m relieved. And the work starts now,” Ladapo said.
“I’m excited to have a ticket that we can start moving forward with and start training them and working together,” USG president Niki DaSilva said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4IwMmkRf8M
the Supreme Court of Student Governance. The court overturned the elections committee's
Some members of the USG expressed hope that legislation would be passed in the fall to better address situations like these in the future.
“As mentioned today in our meeting, there’s some outdated information. This is the first year that this position has been contested, so there definitely’s gonna be revisions coming up in our constitution to reflect a more solid [legislative] piece,” senator Zach McClure said.
(09/05/17 12:51am)
By Paris Garnier
At 24, Macklin Swinney was an outgoing and robust young man. He’d graduated from Ben Davis High School, but decided to forego college and start working. He loved partying, especially in Bloomington, Ind. and being outdoors at Dale Hollow Reservoir in Tennessee.
“He was always the heart of the party, and I mean that almost quite literally. Because every holiday, you know, Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Macklin being around was just what made it fun, in my opinion,” Madison Swinney, Macklin’s younger sister, said. She’s currently a sophomore at IU and just turned 20.
Everything was just about fine for Macklin, save for the mole on his back his father insisted he get checked out. He dragged his feet, but eventually went to the dermatologist. The mole was removed and sent for biopsy.
On June 4, 2010, just a month after his 24th birthday, Macklin got the biopsy results.
He had stage 3 melanoma.
Macklin was not alone in his diagnosis. The current statistic from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) is that one in five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer. Those with lighter complexions are especially vulnerable, but all shades of skin color are at risk.
May is Melanoma Awareness Month, with the first Monday designated as “Melanoma Monday” by the AAD. This kicks off free skin cancer screenings across the nation, including at IUPUI. Free screenings courtesy of the AAD are available at three campus locations from 7-9 a.m. on May 1. Appointments are necessary; the number to call is (317) 916-3525.
Patients are given a non-invasive examination by an all-volunteer groups of doctors and clinicians. Biopsies are not performed, but patients with irregularities are informed and encouraged to seek an appointment with a dermatologist. Those with clean bills of health are sent on their way with educational materials.
“Just a good set of eyes looking at you can pick up most skin cancers,” Dr. Darrell Rigel, a former president of the AAD and practicing dermatologist, said. He was a part of Melanoma Monday’s creation in 1985. “It’s real simple, it’s painless, it just takes a couple minutes, and it’s very worthwhile.”
Alongside the screening campaign came the ABCDs (now ABDCE) of melanoma. Asymmetry, an irregular border, uneven color, a diameter greater than a quarter inch, and evolution of a mole indicate melanoma. This is how Macklin’s father knew what to watch out for with his son’s skin.
Madison remembers little of the day her brother was diagnosed, just being stunned in the doctor’s office. Her heart races when she thinks back on it. A ripple went through her family. Her father in particular was angry that Macklin had waited so long to see a doctor. Then sadness settled in. But they rallied.
“He was very driven to beat the cancer, and he did at first,” Madison said. Macklin injected himself with the cancer drug Interferon twice a day until July 2011. He was in total remission by 2012.
So Macklin’s life restarted. He went back to work and started partying again after another brief illness. He advocated for self-positivity. In 2013, he returned to Dale Hollow and injured himself while cliff diving. That trip to the doctor revealed a tumor in his chest.
His cancer had metastasized throughout his body and was at stage 4. It was everywhere, even in his bones. He was given between six months and a year to live.
Macklin was scared, but he wanted to fight the cancer again. He participated in an experimental treatment that had a high success rate. Macklin found comfort in religion and embraced Catholicism; he even gave up fear for Lent.
But things fell apart soon after, and Macklin and his family gave up on medicine. It was about managing his pain and keeping Macklin comfortable while he was in hospice at his grandmother’s house. He slept a lot, but was never without company.
“Macklin, he went from being this really healthy, well-toned, active brother to honestly skin and bones. And he was always tired but he tried to keep his spirits up,” Madison said. “He always seemed excited to see us and talk to us. Let us know he loved us and he was still Mack, even though he didn’t really look or act like Mack.”
Macklin died on April 18, 2014, at 27 years old.
He wasn’t alone in this either; it’s estimated that one American dies of skin cancer every hour. In Melanoma Monday’s 32 years, about three million people have been screened, and at least 10,000 cancerous moles have been detected.
“If you can avoid the pain Mack went through and the loss we went through, losing your loved ones, if it’s avoidable, avoid it,” Madison said.
(09/05/17 12:09am)
Professional and aspiring drag kings and queens alike performed at IUPUI last Saturday to support Indiana Youth Group.
By Paris Garnier
Drag queens and kings. They wear thick makeup, heavy wigs, duct tape, and glue. They’re often considered a staple of gay culture, common to clubs and bars all over the world. Last Saturday night, a few made their way across the stage at the IUPUI Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Student Alliance’s annual charity drag show.
The show began after a brief introduction of the beneficiary, Indiana Youth Group (IYG), which is a local organization dedicated to supporting LGBTQ youth. All tips given to dancers went to IYG. Due to a lack of complete records, it is unknown if this was the fourth or fifth drag show, but the event began as a prom for LGBTQ high school students.
A runway stage was wedged in the collapsible wall between CE 450C and CE 450B, so that the dancers had one room to perform in and another to act as backstage. There were seven performers in all; some were amateurs, some were professionals. All but one dancer, known only as Sleazy Nicks, performed multiple times.
Some queens, like Apollo Summers and Ava Taylor, have been doing drag for years. Others like Cassia Brooks and Ryan Cox are fairly new to the art.
The nature of each routine was singular to each dancer. Queens Apollo Summers and Cassia Brooks had highly physical routines with flips, drops, and splits, often done in high heels. Others focused on interacting with the audience or lip-syncing with the song.
“[My] favorite part would have to be the reaction from people in the crowd when I do tricks or costumes, least favorite part: the next day when I’m really sore,” Summers said.
Having a background in dance and keeping in shape are crucial to physical performances.
“I go to the gym every day of the week and I stretch every day at the gym for at least 30 minutes, ‘cause if not, I would not be able to do half of those tricks,” Summers said. “Once you practice enough, it’s a piece of cake.”
“I give 100 percent because I used to be a ballet dancer and a gymnast, so I do like, backhand springs, splits, death drops, all that kind of stuff,” Brooks said. “Long story short, my first show, I fell like three times. It takes a lot of practice, but I’m getting better at it now.”
“The thing that I probably have to say I hate the most about drag is how long it takes to put on makeup. It’s so tedious and annoying,” Taylor, aka Laken Garvin-Hall, said.
“My least favorite [thing about drag] is definitely having to physically change my appearance. I’m duct taping my chest back right now and it’s not comfortable,” Cox, better known as IUPUI student Lauren Hartlieb, said.
Drag, like all other forms of performance art, can be tedious and difficult. But each queen and king have their reasons for doing what they do.
“I started doing drag on my 21st birthday, this last December. I’ve been a performer my whole life. I’ve done ballet, gymnastics, cheerleading, so this is my way of being able to continue being on stage,” Brooks said.
“I love the chance that I can be someone else and I can get into this other side of me and be able to express it and be able to have a different kind of mask on where I can do things I can’t do as Lauren,” Cox said.
(09/05/17 12:04am)
Undergraduate Student Government’s new leadership seeks to revitalize legislative branch after remodeling the USG constitution.
By Paris Garnier
IUPUI’s Undergraduate Student Government, like all other governments, goes through its ups and downs. After the divisive post-voting trials of the spring semester, USG’s new executive team has embraced the new semester with renewed ambition and hope for the future.
Last Friday was the first senate meeting of the 2016 fall semester. Although it strayed from schedule, there was never a dull moment. Upwards of 60 senators attended; USG received about 65 senatorial affidavits beforehand. Seating was tight enough that president Mosopefoluwa Ladapo and vice president Michael Thompson stood.
The first piece of business was filling the position of president pro-tempore, a position that acts as a leader of the senate. Eddy Vaughn was nominated last semester, but due to low attendance among senators, could not be elected until now. He was accepted and the meeting shifted its focus on to his summer project: a completely revised constitution.
Although the constitution shrank from 22 pages to six, almost nothing was actually changed. Inaccuracies and wordiness, or as USG secretary Kelly Barbret put it, “extremely dense, unnecessary shenanigans,” were condensed.
“Nothing in the essence of what’s going on is changed; it’s making it easier to understand for people who are reading it,” Vaughn explained.
The most significant change to the constitution was the addition of a parliamentarian, which will a
ct as an assistant to the president pro-tempore once appointed. This position was added to ensure that even in the president pro-tempore’s absence, senate meetings will be conducted by members of the senate. The constitution was passed unanimously.
Once the constitution was ratified, the room broke up into five groups to form committees and elect their chairs. Oversight, appropriations, outreach, internal affairs, and external affairs.
Finally, the time came to discuss and vote on the budget. The senators were inquisitive: everything from campus center late fees to office supplies expenditures were discussed. Most notable was that the executive board stipends had been altered. President Ladapo chose to reduce his stipend and raise the rest of the executive board’s stipends to be more equal.
Throughout the meeting, Ladapo and Thompson alike emphasized the importance of the senate and its relationship to the executive branch. They explained that committees will work on legislation, rather than the executive board handing out orders.
“We do what you say,” Thompson said. “We are the hands to your will.”
According to Ladapo, the USG executive board has one goal, to “Make USG relevant again.”
Low senatorial attendance has left USG with a shadow of a legislative branch until now. Transparency, efficacy, and representation are major concerns of the current executive board. They seek to return power to the
senate, stating that a stunted senate feels more like an autocracy than true student representation.
“I mean, it’s also very powerful when you walk into a meeting with people and you say ‘this is being ratified by senate, who represent 65 different organizations on this campus’ versus ‘this was written by me, Sope,’” Ladapo explained.
They plan to revitalize USG by filling it with as many senators as they can. If all goes well and they have a representative from every student council from every school, their numbers could exceed 80. Should that come to pass, a bicameral legislature may follow.
“We can only do so much to represent students, but senate is the best way to get that representation,” Ladapo said.
“And the relevance comes again from getting senate to act like a senate,” Thompson added. “To be a senate again beyond just having representatives there to be the crucible by which ideas are tested on campus.”
Change will be slow going, as it is a “building year” and the new executive board had a rocky start, but they have high hopes.
“By the end of five years, I know for a fact that if we have … people with the same passion for representation then it can only go up from here,” Ladapo said.
(09/04/17 11:57pm)
Although Paw’s Pantry faces shortages, it’s prepared to tackle the holiday season with its annual food drive, Jam the Pantry.
By Paris Garnier
Far back into the second floor of the campus center, beyond Caribou Coffee and the student health center, stands a pair of doors. One leads to the parking garage complex, as indicated by the silver letters above it. The other is a former supply closet and opens twice a week to provide food for anyone who walks in.
It’s called Paw’s Pantry, a food pantry run by students, for students.
What began as an idea by a handful of students to alleviate hunger among their peers sprang to life in 2013. In CC220, every Wednesday and Thursday Paw’s is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and from noon to 4 p.m. every other Saturday. Anyone with a JagTag, whether student, faculty or staff, is eligible to receive food from Paw’s. Proof of financial need or income level is not required.
“If you say you need us, we’re here for you,” Chrissie Geels, chair of Paw’s Pantry, said.
Patrons are only asked if they have dependents, which affects how many points they are allotted to spend in a visit. Single individuals are given 30 points, while those with dependents have 40 points.
Items are given a point value between one and four and a sticker to express said value. Point values are based upon how many servings are in a container; for example, a granola bar will likely have a green single-point sticker, while a jar of peanut butter may have a red four-point sticker.
However, Paw’s is facing a shortage. Due to a steadily rising number of patrons but a standard amount of donations, volunteers are struggling to keep the pantry stocked. As a result, points have been reduced to 25 for everyone, although shoppers may earn a few extra by bringing a reusable bag.
“Personally, [the point reduction] hasn’t really bothered me that much,” Layla Tavassoli, a regular client of Paw’s, said. “It definitely helps when there are more points, but at this point my family will literally take whatever we can get and the fact that we can get anything is just a real, real help to us.”
When the shelves threaten to go bare, committee members have to make an emergency run. Those with cars gather and visit a grocery store and buy as much food as they can.
“It’s like a reality TV show, honestly,” Jake Nagy, vice chair of operations and partnerships, said. “Each one of us gets a cart and we just fill it with tons of food.”
Paw’s has an Indiana University Foundation account that receives direct donations and is used to fund the emergency runs. They are supplied exclusively through donations, be it in food items or money, and receive no money from IUPUI. Currently, they’re seeking a local sponsor or partner, such as the Midwest Food Bank or a local grocery chain like Marsh.
Paw’s has served about 620 individuals and had 2,528 visits from Jan. 2014 to June 2016. They work to meet the needs of their clients and stock up on what’s most commonly purchased. Cereal, granola bars, ramen noodles, and frozen meals are their most sought after items. To donate fresh foods, drop them off at the room during office hours.
The second half of Paw’s operation is volunteering. They’re currently seeking groups to gather, sort, and shelve items for Jam the Pantry, and encourage people to sign up for regular shifts as soon as the spring schedules are completed, as the beginning of the semester is their weakest time.
“When I’m doing things for Paw’s Pantry, it doesn’t necessarily feel like I’m doing extra work, it just feels like I have a purpose,” Melanie Scheive, vice chair of volunteering, said.
With the holidays fast approaching, Paw’s wants to provide families with a real Thanksgiving dinner. Jam the Pantry, Paw’s biggest food drive, began on Oct. 15 and will end on Nov. 15. In that time, they want to smash last year’s record and collect two tons of food.
Last year, Paw’s created 100 Thanksgiving baskets filled with items a family would need for a complete dinner, but due to labor intensiveness and the need to reduce waste, things have changed. Now the pantry will be completely stocked with Thanksgiving foods for shoppers to access as they would on a normal day.
“I really think it’s important to have a lovely holiday,” Nagy said. “I remember, even though I struggled, we always made sure we had enough food to properly celebrate during the holidays and I think everyone should be able to enjoy that.”
Paw’s Pantry is dedicated to serving those in need at IUPUI and is determined to stay open even during shortages.
“We would be doing a disservice to our fellow students by not providing them with everything they needed to succeed,” Geels said. “Have you ever tried to sit through class hungry? … I don’t know how we can be expected to do well in our classes without having these very basic, fundamental needs met first.”
“I think it’s a really great resource and I hope they never get rid of it, because it does help a lot of students,” Tavassoli said. “It has honestly made a difference in whether or not my family has eaten some nights.”
(09/04/17 8:47pm)
IUPUI’s undergraduate student government (USG) has been steadily growing.
By Paris Garnier
IUPUI’s undergraduate student government (USG) has been steadily growing. Large senatorial turnout and participation has invigorated the entire organization. In fact, due to increased work in committees and full schedules for senators, the meetings were rescheduled on a biweekly basis. The most recent one was last Friday.
The meeting was called to order at noon in room BS2000. After the approval of the agenda, senator Noah Pumphrey motioned to allot time to discuss the Student Development Funding Committee (SDFC) and asked for 25 minutes. His motion was approved and added to the agenda.
Two students from the school of education passed out surveys to senators about higher education and student affairs. Once completed, Vaughn and Barbret introduced a flowchart that Barbret created detailing the process for developing and passing legislation, particularly a bill to change university policy, which could take months or years to enact.
The next discussion centered around vice president Michael Thompson’s project to have IUPUI serve as a central location for student governments from other Indiana and IU schools to meet. Vaughn and Barbret explained that it was not a bill, but a proposal that senate could either approve or deny. It is still under development and there are hopes to clarify everything in the next meeting.
Major updates to the elections code are pending as well. The oversight committee agreed to look at it and see how it can be clarified in a similar manner to the constitution. They hope to meet on off Fridays and welcome the opinions of other senators.
“If you’ve never seen it, it is a joy, let me tell you,” Vaughn said, sarcastically, of the code.
Senators Dave Miller and Jonathan Hawkins then spoke of their plan to have a USG day of service at Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana. Their plan is to have as many senators as possible carpool to Gleaners on Dec. 9 and volunteer from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. They hope to have every senator in attendance.
When the time came for Pumphrey to take the floor, he started by drawing a chart that said how the general fee money is allocated and controlled. The USG is given about $85,000, according to Barbret, and only has choice in the use of about $32,000. She later shared an experience at a national conference for student governments and said that Indiana is the only state where students do not have complete control over the school’s fund allocation.
Pumphrey described being shut out by the SDFC and Juliana Jalal, a coordinator for student organizations, and that he was told that the SDFC’s inner workings and numbers were not public information. He said that student funding has neither approved or denied a single student organization grant (SOG) and that undergraduate educational enhancement grant (UEEG) was out of funds as of three hours before the meeting began.
“There’s been a lot of concern over how student organizational grants and undergraduate enhancement grants have been going, and making it easier for student organization leaders to do their job is one of my personal goals,” Pumphrey said.
The SDFC discussion was equal parts unifying and heated. Hawkins described animosity between Jalal and himself, as well as IUPUI’s Greek life community and the SDFC; he said that because fraternities and sororities are so often rejected their funding requests that they do not bother filing them anymore. Senator Laura Hosek decried the SDFC and said it was unacceptable that students did not have information or control over money allocation.
“Basically my comment was that we have been many a times told by administration that certain things are not possible, that certain information is just--we shouldn’t have access to, and in my opinion, that is completely unacceptable,” she said. “We as students deserve to know where our money is going, we deserve to know where our funds are spent, you can’t just take our money and do whatever you want.”
Barbret, Vaughn, and the senate agreed to have either a meeting or hearing of some sort with Jalal on Dec. 2.
The meeting ended ahead of schedule; after declaring the meeting adjourned, Vaughn said how pleased he was with the senate’s level of participation and how smoothly the discussion went.
“I’m so happy with this!” he said.
(09/04/17 8:42pm)
Although they didn’t quite make their goal of two tons of donations, Paw’s Pantry is nevertheless delighted with this year’s holiday food drive.
By Paris Garnier
Orange crates with cartoon jaguars are scattered across campus throughout the year, but during the holiday season, they can determine if someone has a happy Thanksgiving or not. This week saw Paw’s Pantry roll out for another Jam the Pantry food drive, and despite missing their goal of two tons, they gathered 1.64 tons of food and are overall pleased with the seamless motion of the drive.
Jam the Pantry officially began on Oct. 15 and ended on Nov. 15, but the Paw’s committee spent the entire semester preparing for it. Months of coordinating lead up to a busy Tuesday when 60 volunteers spent three shifts collecting, sorting, and shelving thousands of pounds of food. Volunteers came from a variety of IUPUI schools and departments, as well as a group of 12-year-old boys from the Chapel Hill 7th and 8th Grade Center.
“Our committee is like, six people deep, so if we didn’t have all these volunteers, we’d have to do it [ourselves] and it’s just not possible,” Chrissie Geels, chair of Paw’s Pantry, said. “We could not be more grateful for all of our volunteers.”
The first shift of volunteers gathered donations from the crates and organizations, such as the Center for Young Children, and brought them back to Barnes & Noble in the campus center where they were sorted and weighed. The second shift tidied up and double-checked the crate locations; the third shift put the crates back and continued the sorting and shelving.
With so much to do and space limited in the Cavanaugh storage unit, the logistic challenges were almost overwhelming. Geels described it as molehills turning into mountains, but nevertheless felt good about the cause.
“This is the best problem I’ve ever had, we just have too much stuff and I just gotta figure out what to do with it, but other than that, everything is great,” she said.
Paw’s collected most of the donations between 9 a.m. and noon on Tuesday; individuals and groups gave throughout the month, but most food came in that three hour window. To show their gratitude for those who helped, Nov. 30 will be a hot chocolate social for all Paw’s volunteers.
“Every little bit helps. It goes back to the adage that nobody can do everything, but everybody can do something. No one person filled up the pantry and filled up the storage unit, that was hundreds, if not thousands of people all over campus,” Geels said.
Once the shelves were filled, the time came to give it all away. On Wednesday and Thursday, during their normal 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. hours, patrons were given a reusable tote and allowed to fill it with whatever they needed, no points to worry about. This is a change from last year’s holiday basket system, which took too much labor and didn’t prioritize the customer’s individual needs. Paw’s served 90 clients and gave out about 1,900 items over the course of two days.
Despite posting their list of specific items, three foods are donated the most: canned green beans, canned corn, and canned pumpkin. Paw’s is more than happy to accept them, and understands that they’re popular because they’re cheap and commonly eaten, but wonders if they should even still ask for them.
“It’s really funny: from Jam the Pantry last year, only a couple weeks ago we got rid of all our pumpkin stuff, and people just donated more pumpkin stuff,” Taylor Rhodes, Paw’s graduate student assistant, said. “So we’ll just keep it on there until it goes.”
Jam the Pantry leftovers will be put back on the shelves with regular items once Thanksgiving break is over. Expiration dates are carefully monitored before and after items are put in the pantry. Estimates indicate that Paw’s has enough food overall to last until spring break.
In the last two years, Paw’s has struggled with the centerpiece of Thanksgiving: turkey. Paw’s wants to provide them, and supplied gift cards for them in the past, but decided that supplementing the meal overall was a better way to help.
“We decided we had so much going on, we were just going to worry about the other stuff, and the idea behind having all the thanksgiving themed items is then that will alleviate the cost of their thanksgiving meal,” Geels said. “Then they’d have more money to spend on the turkey or to family or presents or travel.”
Paw’s also provided recipe cards to classic dishes like sweet potato pie and green bean casserole. Once the pantry was fully stocked on Tuesday afternoon, Geels and Rhodes made one last emergency run to gather perishable items needed for cooking, like butter.
Because Thanksgiving is a food-centered holiday, Jam the Pantry is Paw’s only significant, themed food drive for the fall semester. Groups and schools in IUPUI are going to have about six more drives just to keep the shelves full, but this is it for special drives.
Jam the Pantry was not always in the hands of students; the office of community engagement ran the holiday food drive before Paw’s took over two years ago. Although their growth has been slow, Paw’s is satisfied with maintaining steady donation numbers and will continue to push the goal of two tons.
“We’re hoping that next year that either we hit our two ton goal or we just keep doing better than the year before,” Rhodes said. “We’re excited, the fact that it was just six people trying to run this thing and we were able to get that much food.”
As for this year’s turnout in both volunteers and donations, Paw’s is nothing less than overjoyed.
“It took this whole village to get this done and now thanks to everybody’s concerted efforts, we will hopefully have no Jaguars going hungry this Thanksgiving season,” Geels said.
(09/04/17 8:38pm)
“Rogue One” is an integral part in the Star Wars universe, but nevertheless a strong story in its own right.
By Paris Garnier
Finally, a Star Wars film that doesn’t directly involve a single person named Skywalker. The first of its kind, “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” focuses on characters who have never been mentioned before to expand and justify the original trilogy. It was faithful to the universe, but still unique and a strong enough narrative to stand on its own right.
Although all major spoilers will be avoided, some minor ones will be discussed.
The five human protagonists, Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones), Cassian Andor (Diego Luna), Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed), Chirrut Imwe (Donnie Yen), and Baze Malbus (Jiang Wen), come together for their cause despite differences in ideology and personal motivations.
Despite having only a handful of characters from previous films, “Rogue One” made use of the lore and the expanded universe. There are fresh faces, but they’re are nevertheless engaging.
“Rogue One” showed a grimmer side of the Rebel Alliance. Some characters kill without hesitation for the sake of the rebellion’s survival, while others, like Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker) use tactics that are considered too extreme even for the espionage and assassination within the Alliance.
The defining trait of “Rogue One” is its setting. It’s well built and recalls the somewhat dirty, retro-but-futuristic aesthetic of the original trilogy, but the cinematography is sharp. X-Wing pilots have dingy helmets, the Death Star plans look like they’re stored on a Betamax, but every detail is clear.
Speaking of refurbished, the reprogrammed Imperial security droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk) provides a dry running commentary that keeps things fresh. Imagine R2-D2, but comprehensible, or C-3PO with no neuroses and a terrifying silhouette.
The battles are intimate. Death hovers in almost every scene and there are so, so many explosions. The war is less conceptual than it was in the original trilogy, as much of the fighting is on foot. This doesn’t detract from the aerial battles, which are stunning.
The plot thread involving the retrieval of the Death Star plans didn’t begin until about the third act. However, this did nothing to slow the pace and gave the characters room to breathe. Everyone got a moment to be funny, to interact, to show what they value.
The biggest faults in this movie would be the use of CG on some characters’ faces, like the not-yet-Grand-Moff Wilhuff Tarkin (Guy Henry), as well as Darth Vader’s costume design. Both were close to the originals, as Peter Cushing, the original Tarkin, died in 1994, but not close enough avoid the uncanny. Vader’s suit lacked its usual embellishments, which lent it a Halloween-costume type of vibe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC9abcLLQpI
Perhaps it was just the costume, but Vader’s presence was overall off. No longer the imposing terror he was in “A New Hope,” his status as a cultural icon has somewhat drained him of his mysticism. That said, “Rogue One” obliges him his carnage.
The narrative did have other weaknesses, but they’re significant spoilers, and nothing worthy of missing out on seeing it in theater. It was by no means perfect, but none of its predecessors have been, either.
“Rogue One” did not leave room for guessing. It’s slot in the saga’s timeline was snug and it clarifies questions raised by the original trilogy, namely, “How could a single perfect weakness possibly exist on the Death Star?”
Instead of an exposition screen crawl, “Rogue One” had a cold open. However, it felt more like a Star Wars movie than “The Force Awakens” did. It was not a film about ancient prophecies and one single dramatic family, but about loss and second chances. Despite other movies being integral to its inner logic, “Rogue One” was uncomplicated and refreshing.