IDS Thursday, April 4, 2024
INSIDE, P. 6
Your local guide to the 2024 solar eclipse
Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com
IU violated policy in suspending professor An IU adminastrator violated IU policy by suspending professor Abdulkader Sinno, according to the Faculty Board of Review By Marissa Meador
marnmead@iu.edu | @marissa_meador
Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty violated IU policy when she suspended tenured professor Abdulkader Sinno following his attempt to reserve a room for a Palestine Solidarity Committee event, according to the IU Faculty Board of Review (FBR). The FBR wrote that Docherty failed to follow procedure by sanctioning Sinno without first referring the matter to the Faculty Misconduct Review Committee (FMRC), where Sinno could have defended himself at a hearing in front of his colleagues. The board recommended Provost Rahul Shrivastav direct Docherty to follow Bloomington campus policy, including referring the issue to the FMRC, in order to impose severe sanc-
tions on Sinno. Docherty can pursue sanctions under university policy, only if the sanctions are not severe, the board wrote in a March 28 opinion obtained by the Indiana Daily Student. On Dec. 15, Docherty suspended Sinno for allegedly misrepresenting an event with speaker Miko Peled organized by the Palestine Solidarity Committee as an academic event on a room reservation form in November. SEE PROFESS0R, PAGE 5 Read the final opinion here:
MARISSA MEADOR | IDS
Israeli-American writer and activist Miko Peled speaks about Palestine to a crowd of about 75 on Nov. 16, 2023, in Woodburn 120. Indiana University administration temporarily suspended tenured IU political science professor Abdulkader Sinno after IU denied the room reservation for the event.
IU ready for eclipse but urges patience By Marissa Meador
marnmead@iu.edu | @marissa_meador
For four minutes April 8, Indiana University’s Bloomington campus will be plunged into darkness as the moon shrouds the sun. Then the unprecedented crowd will immediately leave, likely causing major congestion — IU predicts it could take as long as 11 hours to clear parking lots. It’s exactly why IU has been preparing for the total solar eclipse for years, having met to discuss it as far back as 2019. About five years later, IU is ready to execute a day filled with events and celebrations of the once-in-a-lifetime celestial experience. Whether you’re a student, Bloomington resident or visitor, here’s everything you need to know about the eclipse on IU’s flagship campus April 8. Changes to parking and road closures Parking will change drastically just before, during and after eclipse day. Amanda Roach, director of emergency management and continuity, said the university is expecting faculty and staff to park in on-campus parking garages, which will be free for faculty and staff beginning April 8. All athletic lots, however, will close 6 p.m. Friday. They will open Monday morning for people with prepaid passes for eclipse events, Roach said. Students will not be allowed to park in the athletic lots through Tuesday, according to an email from the Office of Parking Operations sent April 1. Finally, parking enforcement will be suspended in
all surface lots for IU permit holders except American Disability Act designated spaces and reserved 24-hour spots beginning 5 p.m. Friday through 7 a.m. Wednesday. Certain intersections on campus will have temporary traffic barricades to allow large crowds to cross, Roach said. These include Tenth Street from Woodlawn Avenue to Eagleson Avenue and Woodlawn Avenue from Tenth Street to Seventh Street. However, the only firm closure is David Baker Avenue, Roach said, which will ensure emergency vehicles can get through campus. Safety and first aid IU will set up three first aid and information stations staffed by emergency medical services, nurses, IU Police Department and event services employees at McNutt Circle Drive, Wells Library and Lauren Robel Plaza, which is on Seventh Street across from Ernie Pyle Hall. In addition to first aid, the stations will offer directions and general information. Anticipating increased 911 calls, IU has set up a special number for nonemergency calls. People can reach this line at 855-6037911. Students, residents and visitors will also be able to opt in to receiving public safety messages by texting “MoCoEclipse” to 226787 beginning April 5. Transportation and traffic Like the City of Bloomington, IU Campus Bus service will have limited oper-
By Emma Uber
emmauber@iu.edu | @emmauber7
IDS FILE PHOTO
Sophomores Sydney Spillers and Casey Stanley lounge outside the Conrad Prebys Amphitheater at CelestFest to watch the eclipse in 2017. IU is expecting a potential 75-mile traffic backup and 11-hour waits to clear parking lots.
ating hours. Roach said the bus will operate from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with one final run from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. if traffic conditions allow. To check for any changes in bus service, check the Instagram and Facebook of the bus service. In speaking with other universities who have been in the path of totality before, Roach said one issue kept coming up. “Traffic was just the biggest challenge,” she said. “They said roadways were just impassable.” Southern Illinois Uni-
versity, which experienced a total eclipse in 2017, had a 75-mile traffic backup immediately after the eclipse, Roach said. “That’s like from Bloomington to Westfield,” she said. It took them 11 hours to completely clear the parking lots, Roach said, meaning event attendees could be waiting until the early morning hours of Tuesday before they can leave. Food and restrooms Roach said dining halls have prepared by having some typical deliveries
come the week prior to the eclipse in case roads will be congested leading up to the day. Students can still grab a meal at dining halls but may have to go at different hours. Bookmarket, Forest and McNutt dining halls will close during the 3 p.m. hour, while Eigenmann will be open from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wright, Read, Collins and Goodbody eateries will be closed. Some, but not all, campus stores will be closed while all IMU restaurants will remain open. More information is available here. SEE ECLIPSE, PAGE 5
Monroe County and IU offer free eclipse text alert system By Ryan Murphy
rhmurphy@iu.edu | @ryanhelenavt
Monroe County and IU are offering a free text message alert system for
public safety incidents related to the April 8 total solar eclipse. Anyone who wants to receive messages can text “MoCoEclipse” to 226-
BPD investigate pro-Palestinian graffiti
787. Users will be removed from the system April 10. Monroe County is in the path of totality. The City of Bloomington anticipates
between 200,000 and 300,000 tourists, which will likely bring heavy road traffic and strain telecommunications networks. The most recent total
solar eclipse observable from Bloomington occurred in 1869. Following April, Bloomington’s next total solar eclipse will occur in 2153.
Bloomington's 7-Day Forecast
Pro-Palestinian graffiti was spray painted on Bloomington’s City Hall building between 10 p.m. March 26 and 6 a.m. March 27, Bloomington Police Department Captain Ryan Pedigo said. The Showers Building facilities manager called BPD the morning of March 27 after they arrived to find spray-paint on the southside of the building, Pedigo said. The graffiti read “Indiana tax $$$ funds Gaza genocide,” “Free Palestine” and “Let Gaza live.” The messages have since been covered up, but the case remains active. The incident occurred just hours before the March 27 Bloomington City Council meeting where Council President Isabel PiedmontSmith and Councilmember Dave Rollo announced their co-sponsorship of a resolution calling for a ceasefire and more humanitarian aid in Gaza. The pair released a draft of a resolution a day later, on March 28. Public pressure for the council to take a stance on the Israel-Hamas war had been mounting before the vandalism, with PiedmontSmith and Rollo sending a memo to the rest of the council March 28 saying they received a petition with hundreds of signatures urging them to pass a resolution supporting a ceasefire. Meanwhile, a change.org petition titled “Bloomington calls for a CEASE FIRE in Gaza” has garnered nearly 2,000 signatures. However, Mayor Kerry Thomson said during the March 27 council meeting that she will refuse to sign any resolutions addressing issues beyond Bloomington. Thomson’s failure to sign the resolution would mean it is considered vetoed. At least six of the nine councilmembers would need to vote to override her veto.
SOURCE: ETHAN STEWARD | ETBSTEWA@IU.EDU GRAPHICS BY: THE WEATHER CHANNEL
Thursday April 4
Friday April 5
Saturday April 6
Sunday April 7
Monday April 8
Tuesday April 9
Wednesday April 10
42° 34° P: 70%
46° 29° P: 0%
53° 37° P: 0%
56° 47° P: 50%
67° 49° P: 30%
70° 52° P: 30%
67° 54° P: 50%