Indiana Daily Student eEdition - Thursday, March 27, 2025
IDS
By Natalia Nelson and Deshna Venkatachalam
IU has made several changes to website pages concerning diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. Six culture centers are now listed as departments under the Office of Student Life web page.
The centers have been and still are listed under the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website with links to their own web pages. According to a now-archived web page captured on the Internet Archive Feb. 18, the culture centers were not previously listed as departments under the Office of Student Life.
Senior Allison Taube, a
Jewish faculty send IU letter
The group voiced support for free speech after a threat from the Dept. of Ed
By Chloe Oden chloden@iu.edu | @chloeoden0
Thirty-eight present and former Jewish faculty at IU sent a letter to administration urging them to maintain freedom of speech on campus after the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights sent a letter threatening IU’s funding if it fails to stop antisemitism.
“And we—unlike Gov. Braun or Education Secretary Linda McMahon—have known antisemitism firsthand,” the letter stated. “But we also know that our identities, both as Jewish Americans and as public university employees, require respect for free speech and tolerance of opposing viewpoints.”
A press release from the education department March 10 said it sent letters to 60 universities under investigation, which will be at risk of losing the “privilege” of “enormous public investments funded by U.S. taxpayers” if they do not uphold Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and protect Jewish students from harassment and discrimination.
SEE FACULTY, PAGE 5
member of the Asian Culture Center and multicultural organization representative, said she was at a student leader lunch in the ACC when the change was announced by culture center faculty on March 6.
“We were told that culture centers would be moving under the Office of Student Life after this transition,” Taube said. “While that’s not necessarily a bad thing, it sort of rose concerns because will the culture centers have as much support as they do if it's under Student Life?”
Currently, the culture centers operate under OVPDEI. The office provides support for culture center programming, outreach and advocacy. The IDS has not yet been able to directly confirm that cul-
ture centers will be moved to the Office of Student Life. IU has not responded to multiple requests for comment at the time of publication. The Associate Vice Provost for Student Life and Vice President of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion have not responded to requests for comment.
Taube created an email template students and faculty can send to IU Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Vice Provost for Student Life Lamar Hylton to share their concerns and beliefs on the importance of the culture centers.
“This is all word of mouth, but IU needs to make a statement on it because it’s such a big topic,” Taube said. “Especially with culture centers being such an integral part of a lot of people’s campus ex-
IU removes DEI language from campus
Websites and printed flyers have been altered or removed by the university amid political pressure
periences, we want to know what’s happening.”
Changes to DEI language on IU websites and signage
The IDS also observed changes to the OVPDEI website, which it verified against two archived versions of the website. The IDS used an internet archive website that catalogues previous versions of web pages, saved to the archive by other internet users.
On the OVPDEI homepage, a drop-down column formerly labeled “Diversity Education” was changed to “Professional Development.”
Other dropdown columns, which previously included links to websites including the "Leadership Certification Program,” "Inclusive Campus Environment Toolkit," "previ-
ous workshops" and “LinkedIn Learning: Diversity Path,” were altered to only include the "Inclusive Campus Environment Toolkit.”
The contact for diversity education and cross-cultural engagement is also missing from the OVPDEI website.
The previous version of the page was last captured by an internet archive web page Jan. 23.
A university website allowing users to recommend “potential underrepresented minority students” to IU, which would then allow the OVPDEI to contact those students about pre-college programs and funding opportunities, also seems to be missing. The page was last captured Jan. 19.
The headline of the Faculty and Belonging site, “Faculty
and Belonging: A Strategic Focus on Faculty Diversity” was edited to remove the word “diversity.”
A subhead reading “Exploring Diversity in Higher Education” was changed to “My Journey to IU,” and the “Diversity Tools and Resources” section also appears to have been removed. The page was last captured Jan. 19. The Office of Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion website is also missing links including recommended DEI readings, a glossary of DEI terms, IU’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals resource page and a “‘bookette’ with advice, wisdom and inspiration for Young Black men.”
SEE DEI, PAGE 4
Professor reflects on suspension one year later
By Samantha Camire scamire@iu.edu | @CamireSamantha
IU professor Abdulkader Sinno planned to spend the 2024-2025 school year on a sabbatical, focused on his research on Muslim minorities in politics in the West and conflicts in Afghanistan. Instead, he found himself spending much of the year in a fight with the university.
“My research has suffered,” he said. “Because I was spending my time writing 25-page grievances and learning about laws and policies instead of actually focusing on writing books and articles.”
The grievances were in protest of the real reason it's been over a full year since Sinno taught a class: his suspension from IU. In December 2023, the university suspended Sinno from teaching and advising for actions taken as club adviser of the Palestine Solidarity Committee. He immediately engaged in the grievance process against the university, but it didn’t change the fact that he was barred from doing what he loves most.
“It was a terrible experience for me,” Sinno said. “And the reason is because this was a very important time for my students and the student organizations I advised.”
The suspension cost him the ability to do everything he found most important, he said. Typically, he would have held events to help explain and contextualize the conflict for students and community members. But his suspension left him sidelined.
“Being with my students and supporting students defines what I do and who I am,” he said. “That’s why I became a professor. It was a big part of the meaning of my
life to be with my students and to help them and teach them. They took that away from me.”
Sinno’s suspension
In November 2023, Sinno submitted an online form to reserve a room in Woodburn Hall for an event co-sponsored by the Palestine Solidarity Committee, a student group that he advised. When Sinno submitted the form, he was told that listing the Middle Eastern Languages and Cultures Department as his department gave the impression that the event was university-sponsored.
Sinno canceled the reservation and told the PSC to reserve the space via a student form instead. However, the PSC’s request was denied due to short notice and security concerns, according to emails shared with the IDS. The PSC believed that the denial was due to the speaker’s pro-Palestinian views, and they decided to hold the event anyway. On the day
of the event, Sinno received an email notifying him of a “conduct violation.”
On Dec. 15, 2023, Vice Provost for Faculty and Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty suspended Sinno for both the spring and summer terms and prevented him from advising student organizations for one full year.
Many faculty members denounced the actions taken by Docherty and IU. Fellow professor Jeffrey Isaac organized a faculty open letter in support of Sinno and published pieces defending him in local and national media.
“I defended him because he is my colleague and my friend,” Isaac said in an email to the IDS. “But also because his suspension was wrong, and the administration’s handling of everything related to pro-Palestinian activism on campus was very wrong.”
Ultimately, Bloomington faculty overwhelmingly passed a vote of no confi-
dence in IU President Pamela Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Docherty in April 2024. While there were many reasons for the no confidence vote, many cited how their colleague Sinno had been treated. There were other concerns about the university's reaction to pro-Palestinian speech. Just five days after Sinno’s suspension, IU canceled a planned art show by Palestinian artist Samia Halaby. Halaby had been outspoken on social media about her pro-Palestinian beliefs. Her show was cancelled due to “concerns about guaranteeing the integrity of the exhibit,” according to IU spokesman Mark Bode.
The Faculty Board of Review later found that Docherty violated IU policy by suspending Sinno without first referring him to the Faculty Misconduct Review Committee, where he would have had the chance to defend himself in front of a
board of his colleagues.
‘They chose to silence me on purpose’ Sinno feels he was targeted for suspension because of his support of the PSC and desire to help students engage with the conflict on campus.
“President Whitten and all the people she brought with her were chosen in a way that was completely disquieting by the Board of Trustees,” Sinno said. “And she understands that she has a mandate from them to control this community and not allow speech that the conservatives in Indiana don’t approve of.” What happened to him, Sinno said, was a warning to his colleagues.
“If academic protections and academic freedom are withheld from one person or one faculty member,” he said, “It is withheld from all of them.” Sinno has been an associate professor of Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies at IU since 2010 and has written many books and articles on Muslim representation in politics and war in Afghanistan, making him well-versed on conflicts in the Middle East.
“IU was hungry to understand the conflict in the Middle East, which is my specialty,” he said. “They chose to silence me on purpose because they don’t want people to learn about that.” Students missed out on more than just Sinno’s teaching. Many students he advised and taught looked up to him as a mentor. “He did his best to make me feel like I belonged at IU,” Miram Ali, a recent graduate who took Sinno’s “Politics in the Middle East”
ANNABEL PROKOPY | IDS
Abdulkader Sinno is pictured March 22, 2025, in the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies in Bloomington. Sinno said he'll be back to teaching and advising in fall 2025 after the university suspended him last year.
Status of Bloomington Transit’s new facility
By Jack Forrest jhforres@iu.edu | @byjackforrest
Last March, the Bloomington Transit Board of Directors approved a resolution seeking over $35 million in federal funding to build a new administrative, operation and maintenance facility. The total budget between federal and local funds was set at nearly $44 million.
Bloomington Transit did not receive that $35 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant. A year later, the public transportation provider is still pursuing the project.
“It’s basically out of necessity at this point,” John Connell, Bloomington Transit general manager, said.
The current facility, located about a half-mile north of Switchyard Park on Grimes Lane, was built in the mid-1980s, Connell
By Andrew Miller
said. Indiana University owns the land, and its Campus Bus Service shares it with Bloomington Transit. There was more than enough room in the ‘80s; now, Connell said, there’s not enough space for both their operations.
“It’s basically out of necessity at this point.”
John Connell, Bloomington Transit general manager
The transit center on Walnut and Third Streets, though, will stay where it is.
He said a new facility is necessary as Bloomington Transit pursues its 10-year strategic plan, passed in 2023. Currently, the buses are stored in the open air under a canopy. But as the fleet transitions toward more battery-electric buses
— part of the strategic plan — cold temperatures can be a problem.
Electric and hybrid vehicles’ fuel economy decreases more in cold conditions than gasoline automobiles, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Temperatures of 20 degrees or below can also lead to a 41% decrease in driving range in electric vehicles, according to the American Automobile Association.
The strategic plan also stated the current facility doesn’t have the space for charging stations of all battery-electric vehicles. Bloomington Transit aims to have a fully batteryelectric fleet by 2050.
According to a September presentation to the Bloomington Residents Academy, Bloomington Transit has 40 buses in service, two of them battery-electric. At the time,
Bloomington Transit said 16 additional electric buses would arrive in the rest of 2024 and 2025.
Connell said to meet passenger transportation demands, Bloomington Transit obtained grants to purchase two 60-foot articulated buses, which feature pivoting joints in the middle. While they likely won’t arrive until 2027, the current facility can’t accommodate those larger buses.
“There’s a variety of different projects we plan on pursuing over the next five to 10 years, and it is ultimately just going to require a bigger footprint to operate out of,” Connell said.
Connell said Bloomington Transit first looked to expand its current facility by buying adjacent parcels of land. But those parcels sit on a floodplain, limiting what they can build.
On Jan. 29, President Donald Trump issued the Executive Order, “Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism,” to combat antisemitism following the start of the Israel-Hamas War in October 2023.
The letter sent Monday was addressed to President Pamela Whitten, Provost Rahul Shrivastav and Board of Trustees Chair Quinn Buckner. The professors said the letter seeks to remind IU administration of the university’s history of strict adherence to anti-discrimination efforts and that one “edict” will not protect the expanse of Jewish students and their varied political opinions.
Now, the focus is on purchasing an entirely new piece of land. Connell said one potential site is currently under environmental review. They’re looking at sites in the urbanized area, including outside city limits. But it also has to be a centralized location, he said, for future expansion and to reduce “deadhead travel,” or running the route without passengers.
“There’s a variety of different projects we plan on pursuing over the next five to 10 years, and it is ultimately just going to require a bigger footprint to operate out of.”
John Connell, Bloomington Transit general manager
Bloomington Transit hopes to purchase a location by later this year. The facility will then be designed and go through construction and environmental prep, with a possible groundbreaking between April and June next year. Connell said construction will be split into two phases: one for the new facility’s administrative and operational portion and one for its maintenance functions.
Connell said Bloomington Transit has over the years received enough Federal Transit Administration formula grants, which are based on population, to fund one phase of the project. The FTA funding Bloomington Transit didn’t receive last year is given on a discretionary basis. Connell said they will apply for it again this year, assuming the FTA accepts applications in the coming months.
In a press release announcing the letter from faculty, IU professor Eric Sandweiss, who signed the letter, said the real goal of the threats from the U.S. Department of Education are to lessen the role universities have in acting as “sites of open debate and, sometimes, dissent.” He noted IU would receive support from its Jewish community if it is “prepared to stand up to these kinds of threats.”
The faculty letter emphasized the importance of striving to protect all students and warned, “censoring legal expression—even in the name of bringing us together—only tears us apart.”
A university spokesperson did not respond to request for comment by time of publication.
Bloomington
5
years after shutdown
By Andrew Miller ami3@iu.edu | @andrew_mmiller
Bloomington Chocolate Company made it through COVID-19 thanks to a few unique reasons, leaving them more prepared than most for the new realities the pandemic brought.
They sold specialty goods catering to those staying home, like high-quality olive oil for home cooking, and chocolates that isolated family and friends could send each other, owner Linda Armes said.
So they were able to ride it out well enough, at least to where she could open another location by the Buskirk-Chumley Theater about three weeks ago.
By Adelyn Rabbitt adrabb@iu.edu
Advancing his plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, President Donald Trump recently announced his plan to immediately cease the department’s management of the federal student loan portfolio and programs for students with disabilities. Under this plan, other federal agencies would be tasked with managing these programs.
This move came a day after Trump signed an executive order to eliminate the education department. According to the order, Trump ultimately seeks to transfer the department’s responsibilities to the individual states. He would need congressional approval to fully get rid of the department.
The executive order did not detail a planned process for dismantling the department, but since Trump took office, his administration has already laid off about half of the Department of Education’s workers and cut $600 million in teacher training
grants. Certain student loan repayment plans were also blocked, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which regulated student loan services and collections, was eliminated.
Trump said, under his plan, the federal student loan portfolio would be controlled by the Small Business Administration, and “special needs” programs would be overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services. However, both agencies are facing cuts in staffing and have had little previous involvement in the education system.
The Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office is protected under law as the administrator of the federal student loan portfolio and without a vote from Congress, their administrative responsibilities cannot be transferred. The same goes for special education services, as Trump cannot singlehandedly move either service to fall under a different federal agency’s control.
The Federal Student Aid office is responsible for
distributing about $120.8 billion in loans, grants and work-study to nearly 10 million students annually. The current federal student loan portfolio consists of about $1.6 trillion in federal student loan debt, according to the executive order. This is debt accumulated from over 43 million student loan borrowers.
According to Axios, a transfer of control over student loans could result in a temporarily disrupted and delayed processing time for current and new student loan disbursement, applications and payments, as well as more potential administrative errors. It is also possible that Trump’s announced plan could have minimal effect on student loan services, as uncertainty remains around what actions Trump will be able to execute.
Even if the Department of Education was abolished, congressionally appropriated student aid including most Pell grants, subsidized loans and work-study would still be available unless Congress specifically acted against them. Additionally, student
loan repayments would still be due.
If federal student loans become less accessible, it is possible that some students could start to rely on private loans. However, according to Axios, applying to private loans can be more complicated and not have universal terms, as federal loans do. There are also often no debt forgiveness programs or incomebased repayment options for students who take out private loans, which can also have higher interest rates.
Saving your federal student aid information and downloading your repayment history, according to Axios, are proactive steps to take.
As for Trump’s plan to reassign oversight of “special needs” programs, it is not clear what will be done with such responsibilities currently dealt with by the education department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. However, according to NPR, parents have expressed worries about the reorganization of such a program and the impact it could have on disabled students.
Shifting federal loan management Todd Young to appear in Bloomington
By Madelyn Hanes
issues such as combating Chinese influence, growing the economy, expanding affordable housing options and more. This will be Young’s fourth appearance at the chamber event. He previously attended in 2017, 2021 and 2023. The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization representing local businesses since 1915. The chamber offers leadership opportunities, volunteer activities and business-building programs focused on economic, civic and social priorities. The Chamber is an independent organization separate from the Indiana Chamber and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
It’s a big change from their other location near College Mall — which has plenty of parking and wideopen spaces — to move downtown. And it’s still a seismic shift in how Armes conducts business from before the pandemic, through the price rises and up until now. Consumer attitudes are still changing.
“During Covid, people figured out they can live without a lot of things,” she said.
From September 2020 to April 2021, around one-third of American small businesses closed, according to the World Economic Forum. Many in Bloomington shuttered their doors due to decreased business and the shutdown economy.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Bloomington metropolitan area’s unemployment rate ballooned up to more than 10% in April 2020. From just over 4% the month before, roughly 10,000 fewer people had jobs.
Five years on, the future is still up in the air for many local businesses.
Korea Restaurant on Fourth Street, like many other restaurants, had to move to a takeout-only model during the pandemic. Yong Lee, the restaurant’s manager, said business substantially lowered during that time and has been struggling in its recovery since. Still, at lunchtime Tuesday, the restaurant’s interior was mostly full.
Dave Harstad, a broker at Colliers and an IU adjunct lecturer, said COVID-19’s effects cascaded into many
outcomes for businesses across the country and in Bloomington on a case-bycase basis. Office real estate is especially in turmoil as workers return back to in-person work, part- or full-time. He said the pandemic changed the way people think about offices and commuting — meaning much of the effects remain to be seen.
Particularly, in Bloomington, there’s not a tremendous amount of demand for offices, Harstad said, meaning there’s not much incentive to build more of them. And eclectic attitudes in the community can make plans more uncertain.
“People in Bloomington can’t decide whether they want to live in a big city or a small town,” Harstad said. He also sees restaurants struggling with regulation and code. One of the challenges for businesses in peripheral Bloomington in this regard, Harstad said, is that regulation compliance costs stay the same between prime real estate and less desirable land.
The restaurant sector, he said, has faced some of the pandemic’s greatest challenges. Some are doing well, and others are still struggling. Much of what Harstad sees is contention regarding keeping well-maintained staffing and dealing with more expensive goods to sell.
Armes, the Bloomington Chocolate Company owner, said she dealt with this exact struggle as she tried to get her feet off the ground in the aftermath of COVID-19. Still, she’s doing well enough to open another storefront near the center of Bloomington, where she’s mostly relying on passersby and workers downtown — exactly the presences the pandemic decimated.
5 hazing incidents,
1 rape reported
By Benjamin LeGrand benlegra@iu.edu | @benlegrand11
Five alleged hazing incidents and one rape were reported to the IU Police Department earlier this month, according to IUPD Public Information Officer Hannah Skibba.
The hazing incidents were reported March 6 and March 7, after IU’s Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association put all social events on suspension from March 5-24 to address safety concerns and community health issues.
The IFC and Panhellenic Association did not respond to the IDS’ request for comment by the time of publication.
The hazing incidents allegedly occurred before the pause. One case involved reports that members of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity were subjected to hazing Jan. 13.
Another incident allegedly occurred at Ballantine Hall on Feb.16, where IU police said new members of an unidentified organization were subjected to hazing. IUPD said the Office of Student Conduct did not share which organization was involved. The office of Student Conduct forwarded the IDS’ questions to an IU spokesperson, who then referred the IDS back to IUPD’s original statement.
The third incident reported March 6 was an in-
stance of “possible hazing” at Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity, reported by an IU employee. IUPD said no details about the hazing were shared with them.
Sigma Delta Tau sorority had two incidents of hazing reported March 7 from the Office of Student Conduct. Members were allegedly subjected to hazing on Jan. 28 and Feb. 1 at the Sigma Delta Tau house.
Sigma Delta Tau had previously been on cease and desist from Jan. 28 to March 4 before coming to a voluntary resolution agreement with the Office of Student Conduct on March 4, resolving a matter regarding hazing. All five hazing cases were referred to university officials for review.
IUPD also took in a sexual assault evidence kit for storage March 2. The assault, Skibba said, occurred earlier that day at a Greek life house on campus. The victim hasn’t yet filed a police report, Skibba said. There are currently 13 Greek organizations under disciplinary status, cease and desist or suspension. Two organizations are currently on cease and desist: Beta Sigma Psi since Feb. 28, and Sigma Chi since Nov. 5, 2024. Eight Greek organizations are currently suspended, with the most recent being Kappa Alpha Psi since Nov. 15, 2024.
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
President Donald Trump campaigns Oct. 26, 2024, at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pennsylvania. Trump recently announced his plan to immediately cease the U.S. Department of Education’s management of the federal student loan portfolio and programs for students with disabilities.
INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE
Indiana Sen. Todd Young is pictured at an election watch party Nov. 5, 2024, in Washington D.C. A press release announced that Young will be at the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Dignitary Discussion on April 15.
FILE PHOTO | IDS The corner of South Dunn Street and East Kirkwood Avenue is pictured April 23, 2024, in Bloomington. Five years later, many businesses that struggled during the pandemic are still uncertain about their future.
Additionally, a dropdown menu that included “Strategic Diversity Plans, Reports and Tools” and hiring and retention resources has been removed. The previous version of the page was last captured July 10, 2024.
IU’s Office of Institutional Equity has also changed its blurb on its home page, removing information about the history of the office and its efforts on the Bloomington campus specifically.
A bullet point reading that the office collaborated with other departments to “offer training and information on affirmative action, equal opportunity, diversity” was changed to “offer training and information on search and screen processes”. The page was last captured with the old bullet point Feb. 16, and a Feb. 21 capture showed the current version.
IU has also changed signage around campus that omits certain words.
A poster previously displayed in Franklin Hall, Ernie Pyle Hall and Simon Hall elevators titled “Build a community where all belong” encouraged students and staff to “find a cultural connection” and engage in diversity workshops and training. This poster is still up in the Chemistry Building elevator.
New posters titled “Build a community of unity, we can overcome bias together,” now focus on bias incidents and how to report instances of hostility motivated by racism, religious intolerance, political ideology or other prejudice. The word “diversity” has been removed from the poster.
Legislative push against DEI
These moves follow recent federal and state directives.
On Jan. 15, Indiana Governor Mike Braun signed an executive order dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion in all state agencies.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order Jan. 21 aiming to “end illegal
discrimination.” The order states, “illegal DEI and DEIA policies not only violate the text and spirit of our longstanding Federal civil-rights laws, they also undermine our national unity.”
Since then, the state has been working to eliminate DEI initiatives through Senate Bill 289. Under this bill, state educational institutions may not “manipulate or otherwise influence the composition of employees with preference to race, sex, color or ethnicity.”
While universities may still “develop noncredit programming that promotes cultural and intellectual diversity,” state universities cannot promote policies, procedures, training or other programing designed with reference to race, sex, color and ethnicity.
The University of Virginia is one of the many state educational institutions making changes to its DEI programs.
On March 7, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin praised the Board of Visitors at the
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University of Virginia in a press release for their unanimous vote to eliminate the university’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
In an email to students and staff in February, Ivy Tech Community College announced its decision to close all diversity, equity and belonging offices across the state beginning March 12.
Columbia University has taken similar action to IU, removing diversity, equity and inclusion language from several of its websites. According to the Columbia Daily Spectator, its School of General Studies' DEI page can no longer be accessed as of February.
IU School of Medicine canceled its annual LGBTQ+ Health Care Conference on Jan. 29 because of “challenging” timing given state legislation, executive dean Mary Dankoski said during a University Faculty Council meeting Feb. 18.
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» SUSPENSION
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Sinno also served as her adviser for her master’s thesis; after his suspension, Ali was left to rearrange her schedule and try to find a new adviser in her final semester on campus. It was “devastating,” Ali said. She described Sinno as someone who was there for her when she came to IU knowing no one. In class, he was a motivator who pushed his students without being overbearing.
“He would try to bring the best out of you,” she said.
Return to teaching This semester, Sinno received even more disappointing news. His complaints in the grievance process against IU have been rejected. His fight with the university is over.
“The rogue administrators insist on keeping their letters of sanctions in my personal file,” he told the
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“Since the administration began their outrageous behavior, I felt for the first time a new sense of community at IU with support from my colleagues, from my students and from staff and from community members,” Sinno said. “It was heartwarming. Without them and their support, I may not have had the strength to keep fighting.”
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How money and politics shield IU leadership from accountability
Eivin Sandstrom (he/him) is a senior studying political science and Spanish.
In February, the IU Board of Trustees voted to give President Pamela Whitten a contract extension and a raise of nearly $200,000 more per year. The decision ignores the IU community’s overwhelming dissatisfaction with her administration. University leadership’s deafness to our concerns reveals their true commitment to political and business interests.
Whitten’s appointment followed a untransparent process, leading some to question her qualifications for the job. Her tenure, too, has been mired in controversy. Refusing to bargain with the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition resulted in academic disruptions to the spring 2022 and 2024 semesters.
In April 2024, her administration created an apparent pretext to quash the Dunn Meadow encampment. In a targeted, capricious and sudden move, the administration changed the university’s policy on protesting in Dunn Meadow the night before deploying the Indiana State Police, resulting in the arrest of 57 protesters. The Monroe County Prosecutor labeled the rushed adoption and enforcement of the new policy “constitutionally dubious,” and thus declined to charge the vast majority of arrested protestors. The controversial policy also landed IU a first amendment lawsuit from the Indiana ACLU when the Board of Trustees officially updated the policy. Weeks before the arrests,
Jacob Lubarsky (he/him)
is a senior studying philosophy and political science.
The Oscars have concluded, the winners have been announced and the debate of which films deserved to have been awarded has begun; absolving into a question of which film is the “best” or the “greatest.” Could a film adaptation of a previously written novel or play ever receive such an award as “Best Original Screenplay” if the film’s basis is off another work of art? To wrestle with this question, I want to figure out how we can define great art.
I have found there to be two fundamental aspects of art that would render it great: How accurately one can transform their art from their mind onto their chosen canvas and how creative the piece is. This phenomenon can be analyzed in every art style imaginable. I will use the art style of music and film.
An essential feature of great art involves transferring your ideas from your imagination onto some sort of canvas, whether this be via easel, soundboard, notebook, etc. Great art is only great when the artist’s concept is well translated from their mind
faculty added their voice to the chorus of dissent, voting in unprecedented near-unanimity to declare “no-confidence” in her administration and calling for her and other top administrators to resign. In naked defiance of the will of the university community, and without deliberation, the IU Board of Trustees published a statement unequivocally supporting Whitten.
The distance between the administration’s actions and their professed values of transparency, shared governance and free speech creates the impression of an unrepresentative university leadership, unconcerned with public accountability. This distance is owed to a leadership structure designed to be responsive to state and industry politics, not to be democratic.
Pamela Whitten ultimately answers to the IU Board of Trustees, a body bound by political and business pressures. As most trustees are appointed by the Indiana governor, the board and its president are constrained by the political process. Voters nominally dictate that process, but the influence of corporate funding is often the decisive factor in elections. The better-funded candidate almost always wins in elections, incentivizing those in power to wield it for the benefit of their donors. As one of the largest employers in Indiana, IU is an asset to be leveraged for political gain, and thus corporate gain. The agenda to wield this power is outlined in the university’s long-term strategic plan, IU 2030, which aspires to center IU in an academic-industry
onto their canvas, as accurately as they envisioned.
Not having a vivid idea of what art one aspires to create is a cowardly way of allowing errors in art that can be passed as intentional, while allowing third party variables to dictate the outcome of the piece. I worry Bob Ross was wrong when he said, “We don’t make mistakes, we have happy accidents.”
It then follows that a great artist must have a vivid imagination that is rich with detail, so as to have a precise depiction of every aspect of their art to be accurately translated into the physical world. Of course, few artists have a perfectly vivid idea of what it is they wish to create, nor can many artists perfectly translate an idea. So, achieving perfectly great art in this manner is likely unattainable. We must consider the other fundamental factor: creativity.
Perhaps one can look at a cover band. I adore live music and have heard my fair share of cover bands, from dive bar amateurs slurring their way through some of the ‘80s greatest hits to more renowned cover bands that sell out arena-sized venues. But both bands are never revered as “the greatest band
ecosystem.
A slew of announced industry partnerships provides a potential explanation for Whitten’s support from the Board, as she delivers on stated metrics in the plan. The new IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences facility at the Indianapolis campus, among other recent industry collaborations, satisfies a few IU 2030 aspirations like expanding “partnerships with business and industry” and the number of “IU graduates hired to Indianabased industry sectors.” Made possible by a $138 million grant from the Lilly Endowment, the nonprofit arm of the Indianapolis-based Fortune 500 pharmaceutical company, IU LAB is a leap forward in realizing the IU-industry ecosystem. This fact is made explicit in an official press release and from the mouth of new IU LAB CEO David Rosenberg.
“We really want to be the front-door where academia meets industry, to really have a sandbox for all the incredible assets. It’s really the right time and the right place, the right corridor, where we really can find that next discovery, commercialize that next product, and train the life-science leaders of the future,” Rosenberg told Inside Indiana Business.
Comments like Rosenberg’s illustrate that industry partnerships like those from the Lilly Endowment are not charity; they’re investments bearing fruit. Eli Lilly & Co. donated nearly $200,000 to Indiana candidates and committees in 2023 and 2024, both directly and through their political action committee. That included a $10,000 donation
of all time,” even if their performance is a one-to-one recreation of the famous tracks they cover. This is because, while their recreation of your favorite tunes may be well crafted, there inherently lacks any creativity in the music, as they are instructed what notes to play by the composers and writers of those songs.
Even an artist who perceives their art as “original” or “creative” can never be certain that their art is entirely great, as all art spawns from some source of inspiration, whether this be a conscious process or not. I still believe, however, that some art is more imitative than others.
When Timothée Chalamet recently covered the reputable Bob Dylan track “Tomorrow is a Long Time” on “Saturday Night Live,” he attempted a near perfect recreation of the original track. Because of this, I wouldn’t deem the art as great, despite Chalamet’s incredible talent.
But if you take the equally famous Jimi Hendrix cover of the Dylan track “All Along the Watchtower,” Hendrix inserts much of his own approach to the song amidst the genre shift from folk to psychedelic rock. He embodies the track almost as his
to Gov. Mike Braun and an additional $25,000 to fund his inauguration. The universitybusiness industrial complex Whitten is realizing offloads the labor of research and development onto undercompensated students while allowing Lilly to “commercialize that next product.” The “partnership” is more of an incestuous relationship in which industry bribes politicians with campaign contributions to have the public subsidize their input costs.
As outrageous as the above dynamic is, the situation is nuanced. These investments will undoubtedly bring economic
own, making it greater than the typical cover. Even then, this phenomenal track could never be rendered truly great, as it was Dylan who wrote remarkable lyrics Hendrix would cover.
In the Oscars season, the same could be said for the new trend of Disney’s liveaction adaptations or films like “Dune: Part Two” or “Wicked,” which merely retell a story that has already been told for decades. Thus, there is seldom much creative freedom in a cover band, or even in film adaptations, ultimately restricting such types of bands and films as being capable of producing truly great art.
Still, identifying the true originality of any work of art is a virtually impossible task, and for that, it’s difficult to know how “great” most pieces are. Artists unconsciously or knowingly take inspiration from several aspects of their lives, including other works of art they admire.
development and prosperity to Southern Indiana and the entire state. IU 2030 initiatives like IU Innovates and the aforementioned partnerships will bring thousands of highpaying jobs to the region, making the state a more attractive place for affluent professionals to call home. These new, wealthier Hoosiers pay property taxes into our schools and spend money at local businesses, pumping vitality into the state economy. Economic prosperity and popularly supported university leadership should not be mutually exclusive. It never used to be; while political in-
fluence over trustees is not new, past IU presidents were able to oversee unprecedented growth in IU’s reputation and scope while enjoying community support. Herman B Wells ushered in IU’s golden age while navigating a fraught and conservative social climate. History adores Wells for his brave
I therefore do not believe a true and pure original work of art can exist. Developing talent in respect to art is a straightforward process; consistent practice will inevitably better one’s ability to flourish in their respective art form. Finding a source for creativity, however, is immensely more complex. For many, their creativity may spark from personal experiences, deep emotions they’ve felt or taking inspiration from several artists to create a work that is entirely their own.
Forming truly great art is a task that requires both profound creativity and talent. So much artistic potential has been lost because of people lacking in one of those two aspects. Fortunately, as the tools for creating art have become more accessible, as well as the visibility of many types of art via social media, we may continue to see cutting-edge art that will truly qualify as unique, skillful and great. jarlubar@iu.edu
Leila Faraday (she/her) is a junior studying policy analysis with minors in geography and urban planning.
A typical day in my life starts with eating a significant dose of Red 40 and some highly processed, pesticide-covered grain, a swig of seed oils and injecting at least a couple of vaccines in the arm. Or so some of the “Make America Healthy Again” politicians and influencers would like to think.
The MAHA slogan is largely associated with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who was sworn in as the Secretary of Health and Human Services last month. His platform is largely based on criticizing certain types of foods, compounds found in foods, traditional vaccination and drinking water treatments.
The irony of the entire MAHA movement is that it does nothing to truly combat the biggest threats to American health while simultaneously dismantling the structures we have in place to protect it.
The Trump administration has already made several cuts to National Institute of Health research funding and projects. Further, the administration has undermined other federal agencies that exist to protect public health, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Food and Drug Administration. This has been orchestrated by firing employees, ending various initiatives and weakening or eliminating previous rules and regulations.
On Feb. 28, Elon Musk, a current senior advisor to President Trump and head of the newly named Department of Government Efficiency, shared his opinion on vaccinations on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. “I think we should have some reasonable number of vaccines against major ailments, but I don’t think we should be jamming some little kid with a giant vial that’s 20 different things at a time,” he said. “It seems like there’s a risk of overload-
ing your immune system.” The episode currently has 12 million views.
It is irresponsible to the American public for Musk to sit on a podcast that will get millions of views making claims that have to do with scientific principles and research that you do not understand. The truth is that no child is receiving 20 vaccines at one time and the recommended vaccination timeline has been developed through long, intensive research into vaccine safety and efficacy.
Currently, the U.S. is facing a significant measles outbreak, with over 200 cases reported, while Kennedy continues to peddle misinformation surrounding other treatment and prevention options beyond simply achieving a high overall vaccination rate that stops the spread of the deadly virus entirely.
While many social media posts about MAHA concern fear-mongering over “chemicals” in our food, these people
simultaneously seem content with weakening the only systems we currently have in place to combat the harmful effects of profit-driven companies and practices. If you do not want glyphosate used on our crops, you should support allowing the Environmental Protection Agency to harness career experts who protect our interests beyond profit — strengthening programs like environmental justice and enforcing regulations that protect clean drinking water and commercial products. If you do not want to become ill, you should support sensible, scientificallyresearched vaccination recommendations as opposed to politicians who spew nonsense claims on podcasts that misconstrue vaccine safety and efficacy.
To combat the misinformation and misdirected anger being spread concerning public health, we must call out people who push or fall prey to the idea that weak-
ening government agencies will somehow make our food healthier and that personal supplementation and dietary choices are effective at combatting contagious diseases.
Stay up to date on vaccines and encourage others to do the same, contact your representatives to express your support for federal agencies like the NIH and EPA, and check information you hear or read online about the danger of certain foods and compounds. If we keep allowing government officials and social media influencers to carry out the hypocrisy and public health nightmare that is MAHA, the grave consequences will only continue to grow. lfaraday@iu.edu
TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE
Bob Dylan performs during the 17th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Awards on Jan. 12, 2012, at The Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles. Dylan’s music has been covered countless times by other creatives like Jimi Hendrix and, most recently, Timothée Chalamet.
COLUMN: Inside Herman B Wells’ recipe box
By Sydney Weber soalbert@iu.edu
Clipped from newspapers, taken from the backs of boxes and written in cursive on index cards, the recipes that Herman B Wells’ kitchen staff would cook for the former IU president and chancellor are a medley. At least one was written on the back of a dinner-party invitation, while others seem to have been transcribed with a typewriter.
For such a pivotal figure in the history of IU — Wells was instrumental in growing IU’s prestige and his death in 2000 made national news — there’s something very ordinary about the collection.
It’s relatable, in that it reminds me of my mom’s stack of recipes that she keeps on the kitchen counter, pulled out of magazines or printed on recycled paper. The recipes in Wells’ box aren’t glossy spreads from a Gordon Ramsay cookbook. They’re folded, stained and yellowed with age.
“They’re really fun to look through,” Dina Kellams, director of the university archives and special collections, said. “As you go through, you’ll see little notes. ‘HBW wants’, you know, or ‘keep always,’ those sorts of things.”
“Keep always” is written
on a well-loved recipe for “Fresh Peach Cobbler with Hard Sauce.” At the top of the paper it says that this was Miss Louise Irwin’s recipe.
In a 2011 interview with the Herald-Times, James Capshew, a professor in the department of History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine — and Wells’ biographer — described Wells as very social and focused on others.
Indeed, many of the recipes in Wells’ box included specific names, whether signed or jotted down. For example, “Mushroom Seafarers Casserole” bore the words “Fondly, Louisa” and
instructions for jam cake were labelled “Maret Garard” and “Mrs. John Trumbo (1854-1933) GreatGrandmother.”
I can’t speak for Wells, but to me, recipes are more special when they are connected to friends and family. My cousin’s sherbert punch is good on its own, yes, but I get extra satisfaction when I bring it to a potluck and say, “it’s my cousin’s recipe.”
Wells would often host people for dining events, Capshew said. He served as a houseman for Wells during Capshew’s junior and senior years at IU, which included working at parties.
“When I was a houseman,
Wells would have frequent dinner parties (formal, up to 12 people) and occasionally garden parties, which he termed ‘cocktail buffets’ (informal, around 100 people),” Capshew told the IDS in an email. “He was, to my knowledge, the only host in town who had finger bowls (to wash individually) as dinner parties.”
Finger bowls, according to Southern Living, are small dishes of water where diners can rinse their fingers, though they became uncommon after the 1950s.
One of my favorite recipes from Wells’ box in the archives is for ginger-snap cookies. It’s not the recipe itself that
COLUMN: ‘Adolescence’ is a mastery in storytelling
By Sophie Albert soalbert@iu.edu
Netflix’s newest limited series, “Adolescence,” premiered March 13 and received 24.3 million views in the first four days after its release, with numbers continuing to grow through positive word of mouth. The crime drama show is distinct from other programs on Netflix as each of its hour long episodes were shot in one continuous take. The show also sets itself apart as it is more of a “whydunit” rather than a “whodunit,” with the show exploring the aspects of society that could lead to a child committing a murder.
The show has been receiving positive reviews, and many people even claim that the show should be essential for everyone to watch.
“Adolescence” kicks off when 13-year-old Jamie Miller (Owen Cooper) gets arrested under suspicion of having murdered his classmate. The series explores four days and perspectives surrounding this arrest; Jamie’s initial arrest and questioning, the exploration of his school
and social media presence, a psychological examination of Jamie and the aftermath of his arrest for his family. This show is a masterclass in storytelling and excels both in its technical qualities and in the messages it conveys. Amidst an oversaturation of content on streaming services, the show is truly a masterpiece. This show does something I’ve never seen before, which is having each hour-long episode be a single continuous shot. I’ve seen films before that were shot in this style, like the Academy Award-winning film “1917,” however, “1917” used match cuts to make its long takes look seamless. This film is still a great feat, but seeing an entire show take in the one-shot style in emotional one-hour segments that had to be meticulously choreographed was incredible to watch.
The cinematography was stunning and so smooth, despite the village that it took to get each take. For example, throughout the four episodes, crew members had to attach the camera to a car, switch it between different camera operators, pass it through
windows and even attach it to a drone to make the camera “fly” over scenery just to get an aerial shot.
I also think it was genius to film the continuous shots in such a way that the camera always follows a character. This means that the camera flows seamlessly between each storyline, keeping the audience engaged for the entire hour of each episode as if watching the events unfold in real time. This decision to show these in “real time” gives the audience a more raw and holistic view of the very intense situation. Another aspect that brought this show to life was the acting. Every single actor in this show was phenomenal, delivering performances that felt like you were genuinely watching real people experience this terrible event in real life. Cooper’s performance was especially astounding as he was only 13 when the show was filmed, and he had never acted before. He manages to play Jamie in an unsettling way while giving him so much humanity that becomes key to his character. I think depending on
who you are, you’ll probably resonate with a certain character or storyline within this show. For me, being a teenager and not a parent, I was the most fascinated by Jamie’s storyline, especially in episode three, as I resonated with his struggles with self-worth and loneliness, while still being disgusted over things he said about women and the crime that he committed. But this is what makes his character work — rather than painting him as just a psychotic killer, the show exhibits that he has good inside him and that he is human. However, his actions were brought on by society’s treatment of him and toxic masculinity, something that so many children and teenagers are subjected to in our present day. This is one of the many reasons why this show is fantastic; every single character has depth, and rather than spell everything out to the audience and have the point of the show be about giving us answers, the real point of the show is just to ask questions and explore the complexities of humanity.
One of the creators
and writers of the show, Stephen Graham, said on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “You know that beautiful saying, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ Well, I just thought, what if we’re all kind of accountable? You know, the education system, parenting, the community, the government...I’m not blaming anyone. I just thought maybe we’re all accountable, and we should have a conversation about it.” I think this beautifully sums up the point of this show and why it spends time on the moments it does, moments that typical crime drama shows don’t. I don’t think this show is supposed to be a high action, dramatic, shock-value narrative; instead, it’s genuinely trying to explore a worldwide phenomenon of kids becoming violent and open a conversation with parents and educators about how we can better protect children. I highly recommend everyone watch this show as it is entertaining, a mastery in technical ability and opens the door to important conversations that could help create a safer world for children.
makes me smile; it’s the fact that it was printed as an “Interdepartmental Communication.”
Harry Gonso, from the department of the university chancellor, sent the recipe to Wells on June 5, 1973, with a note: “To let you know what you have been eating and how they are made, Jonni sends you her famous ginger-snap cookie recipe.” As Kellams said, looking inside Wells’ recipe box gives us a window into the former president. “It just really kind of tells us a little bit about the person,” Kellams said. “I mean, this is what he wanted. This is what he ate. This is what he enjoyed.”
A cappella spring concerts
By Lilly Luse liluse@iu.edu
Two IU a cappella groups — Another Round and Ladies First — will perform at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater this weekend to celebrate the end of the school year during their annual spring concerts. Another Round, which is an all-male group, will perform at 8 p.m. March 28. The all-female group Ladies First will perform at 8 p.m. March 29.
Another Round was established in 1996 and is known for pairing rich harmonies and showmanship with a sense of humor. Aside from their live performances, it has released an EP titled “Worth A Shot” with swingstyle a cappella covers of contemporary love songs August 2023. In 1999, the group — then known as Straight No Chaser — won the Contemporary A cappella Recording Awards for both Best Male Collegiate Album and Best Male Collegiate Song. Ladies First has been performing since 1999, covering contemporary popular music since its formation.
The group has earned many awards historically and has competed in collegiate a cappella national championships. In 2000, Ladies First advanced to the Midwest Semifinals of the National Championships of Collegiate a Cappella. The group also finished third place in the ICCA District Competition and placed top 10 in the ICCA Quarterfinals. In 2012, Ladies First performed with Madonna and Cee Lo Green at the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show. Tickets for Another Round are available online starting at $14, and Ladies First tickets are available starting at $10.
SYDNEY WEBER | IDS
A recipe for “Party Hoppin John” is pictured March 3, 2025, in the Herman B Wells Library. The handwritten recipe, along with many others in Herman B Wells’ collection, was placed into the IU Archives in 2016.
IMBD, NETFLIX
From left to right, Stephen Graham, Owen Cooper and Mark Stanley are pictured in a scene from “Adolescence.” The Netflix series was released March 13, 2025.
By Sophie Albert soalbert@iu.edu
COLUMN: ‘Opus’ is a dull rehashing of an overdone plot
SPOILER ALERT: This column contains potential spoilers about “Opus.”
A24’s newest film “Opus” hit theaters March 14 after premiering at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival on Jan. 27. The film initially received pretty mediocre reviews at Sundance and has since garnered average to bad reviews by critics and the public, most of whom agree the film doesn’t stand out and is all over the place. While I initially had high hopes for this film because the general plot sounded intriguing and I am a big Ayo Edebiri fan, I unfortunately have to agree with the general consensus that this film falls flat.
“Opus” follows Ariel (Ayo Edebiri), a struggling journalist who gets invited, along with a group of other press professionals, to attend a listening party for one of the most popular pop stars from the 1990s, Alfred Moretti (John Malkovich). The classic superstar released the new album after he disappeared for 30 years. However, the group soon discovers that Moretti is a part of a cult, and they find themselves stuck in the middle of his disconcerting plan.
I think we’re at a point where we see a movie with some variation of this gory, cult-related thriller plot
basically every year, like “Blink Twice,” “The Menu,” “Midsommar” and “Get Out.” Unfortunately, I think “Opus” might be one of the worst iterations of this plot, mainly because it has no impact on the audience.
The concept is inherently interesting, and in theory it should be a poignant, yet campy, film exploring celebrity culture, but it was executed in such a dull and confusing way that it doesn’t have the intended effect.
The casts’ performances were pretty good, and I do think Edebiri specifically made the film more engaging for me because she shines anytime she’s on screen. Production design also made the film more enjoyable; the visuals helped create the cultish scenery that was needed for the plot and immersed the audience in the world with dramatic costumes, an impressive set and convincing special effects.
The film also featured original songs by the fictional pop star. While they were fine, I think they did a bit of a disservice to Moretti’s character. He was built up to be one of the most influential pop stars of the ‘90s, and he claimed his new album would be one of the best works of art to ever exist, even declaring that he “became God” while creating it. So, while the songs weren’t bad, they did not meet this expectation
COLUMN:
By Joey Sills sillsj@iu.edu | @sillsjoey
“Black Bag” begins in media res and ends much the same way. Like any good spy thriller, it’s a film without any flashbacks, without any prolonged scenes of exposition that would slow down the action and feel even slightly out of place. In other words, Steven Soderbergh’s project here is efficient: it’s only 94 minutes long and it makes sure every second counts.
I was, admittedly, pessimistic in my anticipation of this film, which premiered March 14. It’s the third collaboration between Soderbergh and writer David Koepp, and while I never did see “Kimi,” I wasn’t a fan of this year’s “Presence.” Most of my gripes with that movie centered on its script, which, to be totally honest, I thought was terrible. Nevertheless, “Black Bag” managed to surprise me. While I have several fantastic things to
say about it, the thing that stood out to me the most, perhaps because of my hesitation, is how genuinely intriguing and enthralling Koepp’s script is.
Koepp reveals only so much as he needs to at any given moment, leaving a constant sense of mystery all the way through, even as the credits begin to roll. For a film so interested in the nature of secrets — including those with the potential to catastrophize the entire world — this sort of reservedness works tremendously. It’s just the cherry on top, then, that he also writes such believable, convincing dialogue and that each of the actors — not least of all Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbender are able to deliver it so well.
“Black Bag” follows British intelligence officer George Woodhouse (Fassbender) as he’s tasked with investigating the leak of a top-secret software program called Severus. He’s given a list of names
of greatness. The positive reception they got from the guests was unconvincing and it made Moretti’s role in this fictionalized world and its pop culture less believable. However, the part that really led the movie astray was the plot and messaging. I found the pacing to be very slow, taking half of the movie until a murder occurs. Most of the action only takes place in the last 20-30 minutes, and it wasn’t very gripping overall.
I think one of the biggest things this film was missing was its shock value. If you compare it to similar movies in the genre, they all have very disturbing themes and images that legitimately haunt you after watching them. This movie’s problem is that it felt like it was scared to show any actual action or gore. While there were some gross images, most of the high-action moments weren’t even shown to the audience as they either happened behind closed doors or it would simply cut away midway into the action. Additionally, the moments that had the most gore or shock value seemed very unrealistic and had confusing explanations, so it didn’t affect the viewer as much as it could have.
On top of this, typically movies of this kind have the captors, or cult in this case, doing strange and spooky things throughout the movie to hint that things are not
normal and to add suspense. However, the “strange” things the cult was doing really weren’t that creepy. It seemed like the movie wanted the audience to be put off or disturbed by a man opening a bunch of oysters or people passing a roll of bread down a table and all taking a bite, which is weird but not at all spooky.
So, it feels like you’re waiting the whole movie for things to start getting crazy and just as the action starts picking up, it’s over.
Another big problem with this movie is that it tries to say too much and ended up not really saying much
and a week, and if he fails then it’s possible that tens of thousands of people might die. Simple enough. What makes matters so difficult is that one of the names on the list is Kathryn St. Jean (Blanchett), another intelligence officer who just so happens to be his wife. The film then becomes an exploration of these two’s relationship, their dynamics with each other as spies and how, or if, they might deal with each other should their
jobs require them to. If there’s one word to describe the chemistry between Fassbender and Blanchett in this film, it would be “cold.” And I don’t mean this in a negative way; in fact, I mean quite the opposite. Their conversations are dry and perplexing, always with a hint that something remains unsaid. You want to believe from the very beginning that Kathryn is the traitor, and her behavior would certainly
at all. The film attempts to make commentary on celebrity culture, the toxicity of celebrity press, religious beliefs and the power of creativity all at once. While there were some strong moments, like exemplifying the cruelty of how the press treated Billie Holiday, these small moments weren’t really enough to deliver a solid, strong message. As soon as a certain theme was introduced and I started to understand the point of the film, the movie shifted onto another topic. By the end I was left asking myself what the filmmaker wanted me to take away at all.
lead one to that conclusion. But at the same time, there remains a sense of doubt as the other characters, each one just as mysterious as the last, are introduced. Really, as great as Fassbender and Blanchett are in their respective roles, it’s these side characters that really make the world of “Black Bag” a convincing and captivating one. Clarissa (Marisa Abela), a satellite imagery specialist, is in a volatile relationship with the much-older Freddie (Tom Burke). Freddie might be having an affair; in fact, Clarissa might be too. Now that I mention it, everyone else, including Zoe (Naomie Harris) and James (RegéJean Page) and even George and Kathryn, might be having their own affairs too.
Infidelity is a recurring theme throughout the film, but it never feels like a soap opera. Here, it’s treated the same as any other secret. In a line of work like this, the film argues, it’s only natural to hide
I think if it had focused more on the treatment of celebrities by the press, the message would have been stronger and more fleshed out. This would have made the film feel more coherent and would have given the plot more structure. While this isn’t an inherently bad movie, it just feels like nothing. If you’re looking for a movie of this genre to watch, I think it would be a much better use of your time to watch one of the other similar movies I listed above, as watching “Opus” will simply leave you wondering if you just wasted two hours of your life.
things from your partner. At the same time, it almost taunts you, the viewer, the third-party voyeur to the drama happening onscreen. You want to know everything, but what if you never do? But, then again, isn’t it always possible that you do? Despite its short length, “Black Bag” is a film that demands this sort of patience. Thankfully, it all pays off in the end. Despite its rave reviews, “Black Bag” has remained a box office bomb, making back only about half of its reported $50 million budget. While I could go on ad nauseam about the politics of the contemporary theatrical release model, I’ll just say that Soderbergh’s picture is a riveting and delightful experience, and I urge you to see it, even if your only chance comes after Universal Studios decides to release it on video-on-demand. In spite of its performance, what we have here is the first great film of the year.
MOVIE STILLS DATABASE
John Malkovic (left) and Ayo Edebiri (right) act during filming of “Opus.”
Indiana coach Darian DeVries is ready to win
By Daniel Flick danflick@iu.edu | @bydanielflick
Joining his white button-down shirt and black blazer, new Indiana men’s basketball head coach Darian DeVries sported a red tie with many rows of four white diamonds and a small pin with the IU trident March 19.
Exactly one year prior, DeVries accepted the head coaching role at West Virginia University. At his introductory press conference 10 days later, his tie was gold and blue, and his pendant showed West Virginia’s logo.
DeVries more than doubled the Mountaineers’ win total from the 2023-24 season. He planned to build on that progress moving forward. Then, Indiana Athletic Director Scott Dolson called.
And suddenly, DeVries, who hasn’t been affiliated with a crimson-colored school in 30 years, had to change ties.
“A dream job for anyone, but especially for someone that grew up in the Midwest watching the old Big 8 and Big Ten basketball,” DeVries said at his introductory press conference March 19. “The chance to lead one of the biggest brands in college basketball was something I could not pass up.”
Flanked by his wife, Ashley, and kids Tucker and Tatum, DeVries said his first hello to Hoosier Nation. He outlined a process-oriented approach centered around
hard work. He wants players who want to be part of something special, who want to fill boosters and fans with pride for how the team plays.
Before taking the stage, DeVries sat in a black chair off to the side, listening as Indiana University President Pamela Whitten called him a homerun hire. He didn’t smirk. He listened as Dolson lauded his resume and past success turning around programs, be it West Virginia or Drake University. His facial expression didn’t change.
DeVries didn’t crack a smile until Dolson discussed datapoints and the “mad scientists” within the search who examined DeVries’ key metrics. The Aplington, Iowa, native is all business — he wants the fun to come on the court.
And DeVries’ track record suggests the Hoosiers will have plenty of it. Soon.
“His winning, he’s done it quickly,” Dolson said at the press conference.
Drake had five 20-win seasons in program history before DeVries became head coach in 2018. The Bulldogs won 20-plus games in each of his six seasons at the helm. They had one NCAA Tournament appearance in the previous 47 years. They went three times under DeVries’ guidance.
At West Virginia, DeVries took a nine-win team to a 1913 record — while losing two talented scorers in his son, Tucker, and guard Jayden
Stone to injuries early in the season.
Perhaps more relevant to Indiana, DeVries’ roster included only one player who suited up for the Mountaineers the year prior. He has experience evaluating a roster, adding his own flavor and finding early success — and doing it all in the modern, NIL-driven era of college basketball.
“I think the biggest thing and where you can get your-
self in trouble is you’re not building a collection of players,” DeVries said. “You have to build a team, and a team has to be able to fit together, play together, win together, be able to function together. That’s the No. 1 thing, and I’ve had to do it now several times because basketball has changed.”
DeVries wants players who have the right motivation and aspirations for choosing his program. When
teams compile enough of those players, they have a chance to win together. The 49-year-old values culture. He’s built it at two stops and feels he has the recipe to instill it again in Bloomington.
“We want to do the best job we can on the front end to make sure they’re all about the right stuff, they want to come here, they want to be a part of a winner, they want to be self-motivated to accept the challenges to become the best they can be, and then play to win,” DeVries said. “That’s ultimately what you’ve got to do.”
On the court, DeVries has a laundry list of attributes he wants his team to embody: playing unselfish basketball, playing together, taking care of the ball and cleaning up the defensive glass. Teams who do those things the best often find the most success, he said.
But talent also plays an important part. DeVries, who had three high school commitments to his staff at West Virginia and inherits an IU program with a pair of players — Trent Sisley and Harun Zrno — still committed from the prior regime, intends on building his initial roster through the transfer portal.
“In our ideal world, we would build it from high school up,” DeVries said. “This first year, that’s not possible. We’re going to have to fill some holes in the roster
through the portal, and then your hope is in each year, you might lose a guy or two.”
DeVries’ ability to evaluate and develop players is part of the reason he appealed to Indiana, Dolson said. His willingness to embrace modern roster construction in the NIL era only added to his profile.
Whitten listed several other reasons: his basketball knowledge, winning background and ability to be the CEO of a college program. The last time Indiana’s administration held a bigstage introductory press conference was Dec. 1, 2023, when it introduced football coach Curt Cignetti. Exactly one year after his hiring, Cignetti led the Hoosiers to a program-record 66-0 win over archrival Purdue, capping Indiana’s first ever 11win season.
One year ago, DeVries’ thoughts — and feet — were far from Bloomington. But as he took off his tie and replaced it with a red Indiana quarter zip for more first-day pictures, he officially became a Hoosier. Now, he wants to be the head coach who helps Indiana raise a sixth banner.
“Once we get where everyone can watch us on a nightly basis and they can say with great pride on a consistent level that that is my team, that is when the banners will rise again,” DeVries said. “It’s time for us to get to work.”
Seniors leave Indiana after tournament loss
By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Indi-
ana women’s basketball had already felt what it was like to have its season end at the hands of the University of South Carolina.
So, when the Hoosiers faced off with the Gamecocks on March 23 in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 in a rematch of last season’s Sweet 16, they emphasized not thinking about last year. However, the same result followed. The Cream and Crimson’s campaign again ended with a loss to South Carolina — this time 64-53 inside Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
Still, the Hoosiers were proud of their performance.
“I don’t think anybody expected us to be in a game with South Carolina,” graduate student guard Sydney Parrish told the Indiana Daily Student postgame.
“They’re an amazingly wellcoached, skilled basketball team and so are we.”
In the end, though, the Hoosiers’ — who were 22.5-point underdogs — third-quarter performance prohibited their upset aspirations from coming to fruition. After beginning the quarter with a 1-point lead, Indiana trailed by 11 points after the 10 minutes of play.
In last season’s matchup, the Hoosiers were the team that fell behind in the opening half and clawed their way back. But March 23, it was South Carolina that fought back and seized control of the game en route to victory.
While the two squads faced off at a neutral venue last season at MVP Arena in Albany, New York, the Gamecocks had home court advantage in this season’s iteration. The 12,322 fans in attendance at Colonial Life Arena on March 23 were rather quiet when the Hoosiers had the advantage in the first half.
However, when South
Carolina came to life in the third quarter, the Gamecocks’ fans were energized.
“You guys heard it yourselves; it was very loud out there, and it’s basically a sixth man for them,” senior forward Karoline Striplin said. “We tried not to let that affect us, and I felt like we did a very good job of that, but they just capitalized on the little lapses we had.”
Not only has Indiana been matched up with South Carolina in back-to-back seasons, but this season it didn’t have the luxury of staying home to begin March Madness.
Over the past three NCAA Tournaments, Indiana has had homecourt advantage in the first and second rounds.
Although it went 5-1 in those games, the Hoosier faithful at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall played a vital role in helping the Hoosiers’ advance in the tournament.
Indiana head coach Teri
Moren spoke during her press conference March 20 about potentially moving the first and second rounds of the tournament to neutral sites, and she further expressed her support for that idea to be implemented in upcoming NCAA Tournaments.
“But going to neutral sites, would that help? The parity is so great right now, does that matter?” Moren asked. “I think it does. I think we’ve got to get to a point where we sort of mirror what the guys do and have those neutral sites because matchups matter, but home-court advantage matters.”
With all the change the Hoosiers went through in the offseason — losing Mackenzie Holmes and Sara Scalia to graduation and adding junior guard Shay Ciezki and Striplin out of the transfer portal — the up-and-down regular season led them to a matchup like March 23.
Now, Moren and her coaching staff will look ahead to next season and begin to fill the holes in their roster as the transfer portal opens March 24.
Again, the Hoosiers will lose crucial pieces from their team. Graduate student guard Chloe Moore-McNeil, Parrish and Striplin have all exhausted their eligibility.
As Parrish and MooreMcNeil, who spent five and three seasons in Bloomington, respectively, move on from Indiana, they’ve left a legacy.
Moore-McNeil was on the 2020-21 squad that reached the Elite Eight, the 2022-23 team that won a Big Ten championship and now the team that reached the Round of 32. She’s a rarity in college basketball in the name, image and likeness era where players routinely enter the transfer portal if they don’t earn playing time right away.
“There’s a certain standard that we’re going to live up to, and from the best player to the player that may not see a lot of time, eventually they will,” Moren said. “You’ve got to stick with the process. That’s why I’m so proud of Chloe. Those Chloes are gone. They’re not saying four years. They’re not staying five years.”
Although she didn’t play much during her freshman year, Moore-McNeil stayed in Bloomington. She reaped the benefits, turning into a program legend that scored 1,153 total points.
“So, she’s somebody that you write about as far as sticking with the process, being loyal,” Moren said. “I think that’s real important.”
Parrish arrived in Bloomington after a pair of seasons at Oregon, where she chose to attend out of high school in 2020. Like Moore-McNeil, Parrish turned into a fanfavorite amongst the Hoosier
faithful. “I’m just proud of my teammates for fighting and proud that I was able to come to Indiana and just put on the uniform,” Parrish said, crying. “It’s been a special three years.”
Although Parrish made the Sweet 16 with the Hoosiers and played in March Madness in all three of her seasons in Bloomington, it’s not the games that she’ll remember most. Instead, it’s the moments off the floor with the program and the relationships she’s built.
“I was kind of trying to reflect on it last night — those laughs in practice when someone just trips in the middle of the floor,” Parrish said. “Just like Beau (Lenée Beaumont) can’t get over a screen and she falls all the time and just those little things. You’re going to miss all those laughs and those fun times. It’s a special group to be around, it’s a special university to be around, and I’m going to miss it very dearly.”
Striplin spent just one season at Indiana after playing her first three collegiate seasons at the University of Tennessee. However, she started 16 of the Hoosiers’ 33 games and felt at home at Indiana.
“Even though I was only here for one year, I’ve really felt supported by my teammates, the coaching staff, the fans, everybody that’s around us,” Striplin said. “It really felt like home to me, and I feel like I couldn’t have made a better decision on where to come.”
For Moren and her coaching staff, their attention now turns toward improving their roster in the transfer portal, which opens March 24. Guards Maya Makalusky and Nevaeh Caffey will join the Hoosiers from the high school ranks for next season. For now, Indiana’s season has ended in an all too familiar way — with a loss to the one of the national championship favorites.
Indiana falls in third quarter to South Carolina
By Savannah Slone srslone@iu.edu | @savrivers06
COLUMBIA, S.C. — With senior forward Karoline Striplin’s open layup off a pass from graduate student guard Sydney Parrish, Indiana women’s basketball tied the University of South Carolina with just under a minute and a half to go in the first quarter.
Gamecocks sophomore guard Tessa Johnson missed a 3-point attempt on the other end of the floor and, Parrish secured the rebound for Indiana. The Hoosiers had the chance to take the lead for the first time.
Graduate student guard Chloe Moore-McNeil took the opportunity to capitalize on the error from South Carolina. As she grabbed a pass from Striplin, she took a step, then rose up to shoot a 3-pointer, which she drained.
It gave Indiana its first lead of the game, one it didn’t give up until just over three minutes remained in the second quarter. And even then, the Hoosiers stole it right back.
The Hoosiers had outplayed the Gamecocks in the first half, but basketball games are not won in the first 20 minutes. And South Carolina came out of the locker room roaring after halftime.
Junior forward Chloe Kitts made a basket within the first 30 seconds of the second half to take the lead for South Carolina, and the Gamecocks put their foot down the rest of the third quarter as they outscored the Hoosiers 26-14. After the period, South Carolina led by 11 points.
While Indiana attempted to make runs of its own, it wasn’t enough to upset No. 1-seeded South Caro-
lina. The Hoosiers fell to the Gamecocks 53-64 March 23 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32.
“You’ve got to hang with them each quarter,” Indiana head coach Teri Moren said postgame. “That’s, again, what’s disappointing. That we didn’t come out with the same sort of focus probably, ability to take care of the ball that we needed to, knowing that they were going to come out with more intensity.”
South Carolina left the halftime break with a new energy, one that was sparked by a halftime message by senior guard Te-Hina Paopao. Paopao said she told her teammates at halftime to “keep it simple” when they returned to the court.
Her words calmed down the rest of the Gamecocks, Kitts and South Carolina head coach Dawn
Staley said.
The Gamecocks’ composure made way for their strong third quarter. The scoring deficit for Indiana was created by long South Carolina runs, including a 9-3 run and a 10-3 run shortly after that.
But it wasn’t just a newfound intensity from the Gamecocks in the third quarter that led to the Hoosiers’ fall, as Indiana also suffered from its own careless mistakes.
“We knew that they were going to make runs,” Parrish said. “Like I said, they’re South Carolina. It’s hard for them to turn over, it’s hard to get them to turn over. They just came out with a lot of energy in that second half ... and we had some timely turnovers that led to easy layups on the other end.”
Indiana had five total turnovers in the third quarter alone compared to South
Carolina’s one. But along with the turnovers, the Hoosiers were unable to make the same types of shots the Gamecocks were making, as Indiana shot 46.2% in the third quarter while South Carolina shot 68.8%.
“They just came out with a lot of energy in the second half and we had some timely turnovers that led to easy layups on the other end.”
Graduate student guard
Sydney Parrish
While the Gamecocks’ third quarter allowed them to cruise to victory in the fourth, the Hoosiers showed their fight till the last second, which stuck out to junior guard Yarden Garzon despite the loss.
“I feel like I need to watch the game again to know exactly what happened there, but a few turnovers and a few bad shots that let them go for a little run,” Garzon said. “And I feel like we tried to do our best the whole game and we gave everything out there, so I’m really proud of my teammates.” The sentiment was shared by Moren after the loss — not just “proud” about how her team played till the end, but about the season as a whole. With the 11-point loss to South Carolina, Indiana ended its season at 20-13.
“I’m really, really grateful, really proud of the group that wore the Indiana jersey this year,” Moren said. “In spite of all the ups and downs, we still had some really special moments, great moments that we will take from this, and hopefully, it will serve as motivation as we move forward.”
Rose House LuMin & St. Thomas Lutheran Church
Rose House LuMin and St. Thomas Lutheran Church invite you to experience life together with us. We are an inclusive Christian community who values the faith, gifts, and ministry of all God’s people. We seek justice, serve our neighbors, and love boldly.
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. @ St. Thomas Lutheran Church
3800 E. Third St.
Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Devotions @ Rose House LuMin 314 S. Rose Ave.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Bloomington Young Single Adult Branch
2411 E. Second St.
To Contact: Send message from website maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/ wards/237973
Sunday: 12:30 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has four congregations in Bloomington—Three family wards and our young single adult branch for college students. This info is for the YSA Branch. Weekday religious classes at 333 S. Highland Ave, Bloomington IN 47401, next to campus.
More info at churchofjesuschrist.org.
Lutheran - Missouri Synod
University Lutheran Church and LCMS U Student Center
607 E. Seventh St. 812-336-5387 indianalutheran.com facebook.com/ULutheranIU instagram.com/uluindiana
Sunday: 9:15 a.m.: Sunday Bible Class
10:30 a.m.: Sunday Divine Service
Wednesday: 7 p.m.: Wednesday
9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
The LCMS home of campus ministry at IU, our mission is to serve all college students with the
Christ,
and the
of
across from
The
Center is open daily for study, recreation, and prayer. For full schedule, visit our website.
Rev. Timothy Winterstein - Campus Pastor
United Methodist
Jubilee
219 E. Fourth St. 812-332-6396 jubileebloomington.org
Facebook: First United Methodist Church of Bloomington, IN
Instagram: @jubileebloomington
Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Classic Worship
11:45 a.m., Contemporary Worship Wednesday: 7:30 p.m., College & Young Adult Dinner
Jubilee is a Christ-centered community open and affirming to all. We gather on Wednesdays at First United Methodist (219 E. 4th St.) for free food, honest discussion, worship, and hanging out. Small groups, service projects, social events (bonfires, game nights, book clubs, etc.), outreach retreats, and leadership opportunities all play a significant role in our rhythm of doing life together.
Markus Dickinson - jubilee@fumcb.org
Inter-Denominational
Redeemer Community Church
111 S. Kimble Dr. 812-269-8975 redeemerbloomington.org facebook.com/RedeemerBtown
Instagram & Twitter: @RedeemerBtown
Sunday: 9 a.m., 11 a.m.
Redeemer is a gospel-centered community on mission. Our vision is to see the gospel of Jesus Christ transform everything: our lives, our church, our city, and our world. We want to be instruments of gospel change in Bloomington and beyond.
Chris Jones - Lead Pastor
3800 E. Third St. 812-332-5252 Stlconline.org lcmiu.net
Rev. Lecia Beck Rev. Amanda Ghaffarian - Campus Pastor
American Restoration Movement
North Central Church of Christ
2121 N. Dunn St. 812-332-2248 nc3family.org Facebook.com/nc3family
Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., College Class
Come learn about historic Christian teaching on theology, ethics, and culture. We offer an alternative to the post-modern ideologies and teachings you often see in your lives today.
Shane Himes, PHD - Senior Minister
Orthodox All Saints Orthodox Christian Church
6004 S. Fairfax Rd. 812-824-3600 allsaintsbloomington.org webbrk1@gmail.com
Christian Science Church
2425 E. Third St. 812-332-0536 bloomingtonchristianscience.com facebook.com/e3rdStreet
Sunday Church Service: 10 - 11 a.m.
each one gives a sense of peace and joy. We appreciate the Christian Science Monitor news magazine for its integrity, fairness and compassion.
(Christian Science Monitor) csmonitor.com Christian Science
Indiana falls to Arizona State in conference play, 16-11
By Max Schneider maxschn@iu.edu
No. 10 Indiana wom-
en’s water polo returned to Mountain Pacific Sports Federation conference play
March 22 following the Aztec Invitational last weekend, traveling to Tempe, Arizona, to play No. 8 Arizona State University.
The Sun Devils started the match off hot, scoring twice inside the first two minutes. The Hoosiers answered with a goal each from junior attacker Louisa Downes and senior center Sophia Sollie. A strike from junior utility player Nicole Tyner was sandwiched between two Arizona State goals, with the Sun Devils leading 4-3 after one quarter.
Each side traded goals as the second quarter progressed, with Downes scoring two more goals in what proved to be a career-tying
six-goal performance for the reigning MPSF Player of the Week.
Downes has quickly proven to be one of Indiana’s best scorers this season. After scoring 30 goals in 31 games in the 2023-24 season, she has already tallied 48 goals through only 22 games this season, just behind senior attacker Skylar Kidd’s team-best tally of 51 goals.
Kidd has also managed to match her goal output from last season in nine fewer games. Both forwards are on track to surpass Sollie’s team-leading 57 goals from last season. Entering the second half down 7-6, Indiana quickly equalized through senior attacker Grace Hathaway. The Hoosiers continued to play catch up through the third quarter, matching two straight Sun Devil goals with their own. Despite their resilience, Arizona State
Society of Friends (Quaker)
Bloomington Friends Meeting
3820 E. Moores Pike
812-336-4581
bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org
Facebook: Bloomington Friends Meeting
Sunday (in person & Zoom) :
9:45 a.m., Hymn singing
10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship
10:45 a.m., Sunday School (Children join worship 10:30-10:45)
11:30 a.m., Refreshments and Fellowship
12:30 p.m., Events (see website)
Wednesday (Zoom Only) :
7 p.m., Meeting for worship for Peace
Friday (Zoom Only) :
9 a.m., Meeting for worship
We practice traditional Quaker worship, gathering in silence with occasional Spirit-led vocal ministry by fellow worshipers. We are an inclusive community with a rich variety of belief and no prescribed creed. We are actively involved in peace action, social justice causes, and environmental concerns.
Peter Burkholder - Clerk burkhold@indiana.edu
Non-Denominational
Christ Community Church
503 S. High St.
812-332-0502 cccbloomington.org
facebook.com/christcommunitybtown
Instagram: @christcommunitybtown
Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Educational Hour
10:30 a.m., Worship Service
We are a diverse community of Christ-followers, including many IU students, faculty and staff. Together we are committed to sharing the redeeming grace and transforming truth of Jesus Christ in this college town.
Bob Whitaker - Senior Pastor Adam deWeber - Worship Pastor Dan Waugh - Adult Ministry Pastor
Christian Student Fellowship
1968 N. David Baker Ave. 812-332-8972 csfindiana.org
Instagram: @csfindiana
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) exists as a Christ-centered community focused on helping students truly know Jesus Christ. Our ministry operates from an on-campus house where students can live. Reach out to schedule a tour of the house or a visit to our Thursday night worship service!
Ben Geiger - Lead Campus Minister
Stephanie Michael - Campus Minister
Joe Durnil - Associate Campus Minister
Hailee Lutz - Office Manager
entered the fourth quarter with a 10-9 lead.
Having been on Arizona State’s heels all afternoon, Indiana started to run out of gas. Following a goal from junior goalkeeper Jasmine Higgs, her third this season, the Sun Devils scored four straight goals to put the game out of reach for the Hoosiers. Despite a late consolation strike by Downes, the gap proved too large as Indiana lost 16-11.
Despite consistent performances in tournament invitationals, Indiana is 0-3 in MPSF conference play. Sitting at the bottom of the standings, the Hoosiers play two straight home games, in desperate need of conference victories.
Indiana returns home at noon March 29 to the Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatic Center in Bloomington to continue MPSF conference play against the University of California, Berkeley.
City Church
1200 N. Russell Rd.
812-336-5958
citychurchbloomington.org
tiktok: @citychurchbtown
Instagram: @citychurchbtown
Sunday Service: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:45 a.m.
City Church is a multicultural church on the east side of Bloomington. We provide transportation from campus. Our college and young adult ministry meets on Tuesday nights.
David Norris - Pastor
Sacred Heart Church
615 N. Fairview St. 812-345-5239 sacredheartbloomington.org facebook.com/sacredheartbloomington
Sunday: 10:30 a.m.: Refreshments and Fellowship 10:45 a.m.: Worship Service Tue., Wed., Thu.: Midweek Meals (Check Facebook)
Sacred Heart is a nondenominational church that seeks to follow Jesus by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. We strive to be a safe, inclusive community where you can bring your doubts, questions, struggles, and joys before a loving God and find true belonging. All are welcome!
Dan Caldwell
Episcopal (Anglican)
Canterbury Mission
719 E. Seventh St. 812-822-1335 IUCanterbury.org facebook.com/ECMatIU
Instagram & Twitter: @ECMatIU
Youtube: @canterburyhouseatiu9094
Sunday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Mon., Wed., Thu.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Tuesday: Noon - 8 p.m. Fri., Sat.: By Appointment
Canterbury: Assertively open & affirming; unapologetically Christian, we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ by promoting justice, equality, peace, love and striving to be the change God wants to see in our world.
*Free transportation provided. Please call if you need a ride to church.
Student Ministry: Meeting for Bible study throughout the month. Contact Rosh Dhanawade at bluhenrosh@gmail.com for more information.
Steven VonBokern - Senior Pastor Rosh Dhanawade - IU Coordinator 302-561-0108 bluhenrosh@gmail.com
United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches-USA
First United Church
2420 E. Third St. 812-332-4439 firstuc.org facebook.com/firstuc
Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Worship
Monday: 10 a.m. via Zoom, Bible Study
We are an Open, Welcoming, and Affirming community of love and acceptance dedicated to welcoming the diversity of God’s beloved. We exist to empower, challenge, and encourage one another to live out Jesus’ ways (compassion, truth, and justice) authentically as human beings in community to create a better world.
Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai Senior Minister
Baptist Emmanuel Church 1503 W. That Rd. 812-824-2768 Emmanuelbloom.com Instagram & Facebook: @EmmanuelBloomington
Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Fellowship
Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship Groups: Various times
Emmanuel is a multigenerational church of all types of people. Whether you are questioning faith or have followed Jesus for years, we exist to help fuel a passion for following Jesus as we gather together, grow in community, and go make disciples.
John Winders - Lead Pastor
Second Baptist Church
321 N. Rogers St. 812-327-1467 sbcbloomington.org facebook.com/2ndbaptistbloomington youtube.com/@secondbaptist churchbloomington
Sunday Service: 10 a.m., In house and on Facebook/YouTube Sunday School: 8:45 - 9:45 a.m.
Bible Study: Available In House and on Zoom Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., Thursdays, Noon
Please come and worship with us. We are in training for reigning with Christ! Need a ride? Call our Church bus at 812-3271467 before 8 a.m. on Sunday
Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Rose - Pastor Tallie Schroeder - Secretary
Unitarian Universalist Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington
2120 N. Fee Ln. 812-332-3695 uubloomington.org facebook.com/uubloomington
Sunday:
A LGBTQA+, Dementia Friendly, Welcoming Congregation to all ages and groups and a Certified Green Sanctuary. Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rose House LuMin & St. Thomas Lutheran Church
3800 E. Third St. 812-332-5252 Stlconline.org lcmiu.net
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. @ St. Thomas Lutheran Church 3800 E. Third St. Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Devotions @ Rose House LuMin 314
Unity Worldwide
Unity of Bloomington A Center for Spiritual Growth
4001 S. Rogers St. text/call: 812-333-2484 unityofbloomington.org IG: @unityofbloomington facebook@UnityofBloomington
Sunday Celebration: 10:30 a.m.
Discover a vibrant, welcoming community at Unity of Bloomington – “a positive path for spiritual living”. Our center offers a space for spiritual growth; embracing all with open arms. We proudly affirm and welcome the LGBTQ+ community, fostering love, acceptance, and inclusion. Join our loving congregation, where everyone is valued and encouraged to explore their spiritual journey. At Unity of Bloomington, all are welcome and together we thrive!
Minnassa Gabon - Spiritual Leader Phyllis Wickliff - Music Director Reformed Protestant
Trinity Reformed Church 2401 S. Endwright Rd. 812-825-2684 trinityreformed.org lucas@trinityreformed.org facebook.com/trinitychurchbloom
Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Sunday Morning Services 7 p.m., Bible Study at the IMU We are a Reformed Protestant church on the west side of Bloomington with lively worship on Sunday mornings and regular lunches for students after church. We love God and His Word. Please get in touch if you’d like a ride!
Jody Killingsworth - Senior Pastor Lucas Weeks - College Pastor
FILE PHOTO | IDS
Indiana defender Kallie White launches the ball at the USC goal during a game March 30, 2024, at the
Counsilman-Billingsley Aquatics Center. The Hoosiers fell to Arizona State University 16-11.
