The Preface - April 17

INSIDE

Expanded 12 page issue!

New to Northside: Astronomical observatory 4-5 Column: Kim Jong Un, bully or threat?

Friday classes?

An unpopular new proposal could add an extra day to many class schedules

the preface

IU South Bend’s student newspaper

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Whole Foods Market opens in Mishawaka to crowds aplenty

By DANIELLE MILLER Staff Writer dnaxe@umail.iu.edu I was held hostage while attempting to buy organic fruit.

I say attempt because I never actually purchased any fruit or anything else for that matter. The police were on the scene so I knew help was near. However, the other hostages were wild. As I pushed and shoved and excused myself towards the door I could hear, “Where does she think she’s going?”

It was terrifying.

Of course, I am talking about the grand opening of the Whole Foods Market in Mishawaka. The April 10 opening was so packed that there was a police officer directing traffic in the parking lot, and inside, the people were packed in like a mosh pit— a mosh pit of Granger moms and hipsters and retirees buying kale-based guacamole.

I was excited Whole Foods was coming to this area because I am not native to Indiana and being a life-long vegetarian and local food advocate, I was disappointed by the lack of organic food options available here. I mean, it’s not like there are any farms or famers markets around (sarcasm). Honestly, the local agriculture is a hidden gem. It is always present but not glamorized— that is where markets like Whole Foods come in.

I do not see this as a negative.

The fact that Whole Foods was as packed as Wal-Mart on Black Friday with $100 X-Box game systems tells me that there is a need for this type of store in our community.

Grape Road really is the crown jewel of retail in Michiana and it was not complete without certain

stores that are generally seen in larger cities. Could this mean we are continuing to grow as a city? That is good news in this economy.

The Whole Foods in my hometown hosted events that connected the community, such as raising money for local charities or fun events like “Kiss a Fish for a Free Lobster Tail.” They are eco-friendly, offering plugs in the parking lot for electric cars, and socially conscious in operating the Whole Planet Foundation, which aims to empower the poor in other countries.

Overall, Whole Foods appears to be a socially conscious company that has ethical standards and makes shopping fun.

Some feel places like Whole Foods Market are a threat to local co-ops or farmers markets. However, they can also be seen as squeezing into the market between the coops and farmers markets and larger stores like Martins and Meijer. They each have their niche in the market.

So as I was perusing the 2 for $5 organic strawberries between bodies and grocery carts, I was able to see that, like the other store I knew, they had some good deals on local, fresh food. Not every item is a great deal but comparative shopping is imperative.

I swam through the sea of people to the lunch buffet and, with my mouth watering, searched through the choices. I was hit by the same moral conflict I always have when choosing a meal: Do I choose based on local, organic, health, heirloom, vegan or whole food considerations?

I looked from Jamaican stir fry with coconut milk to the lines at the check-out and made my decision: Del Taco.

ABOVE: The Whole Foods seafood counter offers an exotic variety of.

BELOW: On opening day, samples of organic salad and vinaigrette were passed around.

Preface Photos/SARAH DUIS

“

The people were packed in like a mosh pit—a mosh pit of Granger moms and hipsters and retirees buying kale-based guacamole.”

The Preface

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The Preface The Preface is the official student newspaper of Indiana University South Bend, published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters.

The Preface receives funding from the Student Government Association and through advertising revenue.

The Preface is a student written, edited and designed publication.

Proposed campus changes would add Friday classes to schedules

Editor-in-Chief Sarah Duis Managing Editor Joseph Graf Design Editor Cecelia Roeder Advertising Manager Stephen Kowalski Staff Writers Kelsie Ferguson Andrea Janesheski Mackenzie Jarvis Izza Jatala Bridget Johnson Taylor Neff Danielle Miller Malory Pecina Lauren Pajakowski Jessica Leigh Schliska Mandi Steffey Sarah Ward Nick Wort Columnists Mandi Steffey Christina Clark Cartoonist Traci Bremer Photographers John Batliner Staff Advisor Ken Klimek Direct all correspondence to: editorpreface@gmail.com Phone: 574-520-4553 The Preface 1700 Mishawaka Ave PO Box 7111 South Bend, IN 46634 Student Activities Center Room 220 Interact with us online: www.iusbpreface.com and facebook.com/IUSBPreface

IU South Bend is typically quiet on Fridays. This could change with a new proposal to expand classes to 5 days a week.

PREFACE PHOTO/CECELIA ROEDER

By CECELIA ROEDER Design Editor cmroeder@iusb.edu In 2015, Fridays on campus at IU South Bend may not be as quiet as they are now.

A proposed change in scheduling of classes would turn the Monday/ Wednesday two-day-a-week format into a three day format. Classes would be shorter, but extended into Fridays.

One of the largest proponents behind the idea is Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Alfred Guillaume Jr. In a phone interview, he explained the two biggest reasons behind the suggested change.

“I have asked staff and faculty to look into the passage of this schedule, which could be implemented in the fall of 2012. There is concern about the use of buildings on Fridays. The faculty wants to see more robust student involvement on campus.”

Guillaume explained the second reason was pedagogical.

“We want to enhance student learning, and encourage more fre-

proposed change, not all students feel so warmly about the idea.

“Every person in my three classes was opposed to this change,” said

“[Friday classes] would provide more opportunities for enhanced learning, and would allow for more flexibility for students with their schedules and work. It would also give facility time to do research and prepare classes.”

-Alfred Guillaume Jr. quent contact. It would provide more opportunities for enhanced learning, and would allow for more flexibility for students with their schedules and work. It would also give facility time to do research and prepare classes.”

While Guillaume hopes that the campus will decide to adopt the

English professor Karen Gindele.

Other students have expressed skepticism about the change.

“I think that it would be a ridiculous switch,” said senior Brandy Bohm. “Our student population is under 10,000 and I see no reason for IU South Bend to go to a 5-daya-week schedule.”

In the Facebook group “IUSB Class of 2015,” Katie Rose commented on the issue.

“I definitely don’t want [a changed schedule]. It would affect my work since I wouldn’t be able to be open on Fridays,” she said.

“It is a terrible idea to switch to the M/W/F schedule,” Alex Kline said. “Considering that this is still a commuter campus and most of the students here work to pay for their college, having classes on a Friday would mean that they would have to schedule off work which equals less hours, which equals less money, which equals more debt they owe the school.”

The proposed change wouldn’t take place until the fall 2015 semester, so students and faculty still have time to make their voices heard on the matter.

More information about the proposed change is likely to be released in the upcoming fall semester. The Preface will continue to follow this story as it develops.

Wednesday, April 17

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School of the Arts dean named to Congressional Black Caucus Institute Marvin Curtis hopes to influence policy makers to support arts education

By MANDI STEFFEY Columnist asteffey@indiana.edu Marvin Curtis, the dean of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the arts, was recently inducted into the Congressional Black Caucus Institute. Among other things, the members of the CBCI help to shape policies involving different matters in politics.

Certain members in the CBCI are chosen on the basis of their resumes and are representatives of the various companies they work for. There are many positions in the CBCI, but Curtis has been inducted into the Executive Committee, which has representatives from Verizon, Comcast, Time Warner, Coca-Cola, Colorado State University, McDonalds and Pepsi.

“Alfonso Pollard, who is the chairman of the committee, invited me,” said Curtis. “He is a musician, so he was interested in talking about the arts.”

Curtis is very excited to what this could lead to. As a member of the Executive Committee, he will be a part of writing policies and plans to be sent up the political chain, sometimes even reaching the president.

Each member of the Executive

Committee has different interests they would like to politically reform, but Curtis’ interest might be easy to guess: the arts.

“One of my goals in this position is to spread the awareness of the importance of arts education,” said Curtis.

Curtis plans to use his position as a professional in the arts industry to showcase the importance of arts in the educational system.

For the past decade, educational budget cuts have forced some schools to cut what Curtis says are known as “frill” courses. These frill classes are generally things administrations might not find as necessary as the sciences. The cuts usually come down on arts courses, including music, fine arts and communication programs.

“In budgets across the country, the arts are getting cut,” he said.

These cuts are problematic for Curtis. As a musical composer with a professional position at a university, Curtis knows that art courses and arts education can lead to a satisfying career.

“People undervalue the arts,” said Curtis. “Most nations are known for their artwork.”

“I mean, I have a satisfying life, and I’m an artist,” he said.

Dean of the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts Marvin Curtis Image courtesy of Indiana University These ideals will help Curtis shape policies involving arts in the educational system. Potentially, these policies could be seen by politicians with the power to change policies.

Curtis hopes his input will lead to a change in how the arts are valued in school systems.

As well as the possibility of ca-

reers, the cutting of arts programs worries Curtis because he views these cuts as a cut to the culture of the kids who can really benefit from arts education.

“It’s those arts classes that really teach students how to think,” said Curtis. “It’s about the creative process.”

“Art is culture. If you take away those programs, for people like me, you have nothing representing the culture,” he said.

Curtis will be attending conferences four times yearly to meet with others from the CBCI. Most recently, he visited Myrtle Beach in March.

Sudoku Corner (solution on p. 11)

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PAGE 4 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010

To see or not to see?

Astronomical observatory installed “above” campus

BY TAYLOR NEFF Staff Writer tlincoln@umail.iu.edu “I still remember opening up the dome in college and seeing all the stars,” said Professor of Physics Jerry Hinnefeld. “It really felt like a sci-fi movie, and I’m really hoping for that same type of experience for my students.”

The department of physics at IU South Bend has been putting the installation of an astronomical rooftop observatory on the back burner for seven years now. But in the fall semester of 2011, the administration saw an enrollment surge related to the economic decline.

“There was now money available, ironically, for onetime projects,” Hinnefeld said. “So, a process was set up for faculty to submit ideas for various projects, which we did. The committee head of these proposals selected the idea of the observatory for funding.”

The proposed idea of a rooftop observatory was given $70,000 for funding from

the unbudgeted-tuition money. The faculty was able to go ahead with their project plans and purchased a 16-inch reflecting telescope, a robotic mount from the company Software Bisque, an observatory dome and a wall cylinder for the dome to sit on manufactured by the company Ash Dome.

Within the next couple of months, the faculty hopes to hire contractors to install a cement slab on the south end of Northside’s four-story building.

“The telescope was about $10,000, the robotic mount was about $15,000, the dome and wall cylinder were about $30,000,” Hinnefeld said.

“Then there were a few other small items as well, but right now the total cost we have spent is about $60,000.”

The remaining $10,000 will go toward the cost of installation.

Hinnefeld said that he is confident they will be able to locate the remaining funding through the university.

The equipment is expensive for a reason. The dome will

Professor Jerry Hinnefeld points to where the observatory will be installed PREFACE PHOTO/TAYLOR NEFF provide protection against the weather for the telescope, and it will have a shutter that allows the telescope access to the night sky. The telescope

focuses the light seen in the sky into an image and from there you can take a photograph of it, view it plainly with the naked eye or place

the light in a spectrograph.

The telescope is the central component, although not the most expensive.

The robotic mount is more specifically a “German equatorial mount” which rotates independently around an axis that points towards the North Star, and another axis that tilts down away from that.

“I keep wanting to talk about this robotic mount,” Hinnefeld said. “It is a very sophisticated mount. Oftentimes, finding deep-space objects can be a challenge.

However, once our telescope is installed and aligned, it won’t be much of a challenge.”

Hinnefeld explained that with this mount, the telescope will be able to find exactly what the viewer is looking for. He also feels that there is an art lost in having that at one’s disposal because there is something to be said in identifying objects in relation to visible stars and searching that area for it.

“It’s a nice sense of accomplishment when you find it, and extremely frustrating when you don’t!” he said, laughing. “It’s a very mixed bag.”

With the mount, once you have it pointed on an object, it only needs to rotate that one axis that compensates for earth’s rotation automatically.

“The really amazing thing about it is that it has capability to point to as many objects as you want, locating them and centering them.

Then you can say, ‘OK, the telescope is now pointing at this object,’ and you can do this for 20 objects and then the mount will know its location in relation to the objects found,” he said.

Hinnefeld explained the mount in detail, the importance and sophistication it brings to the telescope. Now, he is hopeful to get the project put together soon to get more use out of it.

Initially, the faculty thought that they would be able to put the dome together themselves. However, the IU Bureaucracy and Architects decided they wanted contractors to be responsible for putting the observatory together.

Altogether, the observatory will weigh in at 300

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Wednesday, April 17

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“I

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010 PAGE 5

still remember opening up the dome in college and seeing all the stars. It really felt like a sci-fi movie, and I’m really hoping for that same type of experience for my students.”

-Professor of Physics Jerry Hinnefeld

Continued from previous page

pounds. Northside is roughly 40-years-old and is a posttension building. This means that there are thin layers of concrete, and to build on these would take careful skill with the delicate rooftop, which is why Hinnefeld and his colleagues were advised to seek contractors to put the observatory into place.

Astrophotography is said to be a fun experience and great use of the telescope, but also depends on how stable the roof is.

“It depends on if the roof is stable enough to take long enough exposures you need to image the deep space objects which are most interesting such as galaxies and nebula and so on,” said Hinnefeld.

“I expect [the observatory] to be a draw and a strong selling point for the department and campus,” he said.

“I know many physics majors that have interests in astronomy and we plan to use it for public outreach as well.”

Hinnefeld is excited to use the telescope to show the

community objects not visible to the human eye. For example, on a clear night, Jupiter and Saturn will be able to be seen very well.

“I am really hopeful for students to have the opportunity to be trained and use the observatory on their own and without faculty,” he said.

“Especially on clear nights for the chance to observe objects deeper in space and on their own time.”

Hinnefeld said they have future plans to continue adding on to the telescope.

“This project will be extremely useful in terms of projects and more focused research,” he said. “You can read about spectra classifications, you can see the pictures of the classifications in textbooks. But it’s a proud moment for a student to collect that information themselves and a much different impact when you can collect spectrum yourself and do the analysis yourself.”

Hinnefeld and his colleagues are also in process of creating new classes and possibly an astronomy track in the physics department.

Left: The robotic mount for the telescope. Preface Photo/TAYLOR NEFF Right: IU South Bend students will soon be able to watch the night sky from atop Northside Hall.

Right image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

www.iusbpreface.com

Talk Nerdy To Me: UITS joins tech podcast

By DANIELLE MILLER Staff Writer University Information Technology Services (UITS) at IU South Bend has recently joined the IU Bloomington Talk Nerdy to Me Podcast. The monthly podcast features tech topics such as gadgets and gaming with other topics that vary month to month.

Segments last month included tech under $200, UITS Support Center tips on VPN, cell phones in classrooms, special guests - Joel Langston and Jeffrey Gadzala on gaming changing lives, brief history of women in IT, and Blackberry Z10.

Joel Langston, manager of media services at IUSB UITS, weighed in on how video games have changed lives.

“A teenage boy wrote a blog about how Tomb Raider saved him from suicide,” he said. “The boy saw that the characters in Tomb Raider had overcome hardships and related this to his life. The game gave him a positive focus.”

Even though the topics of each podcast will vary, some segments, likeLangston’s gaming segment, arepermanent features.

“It’s about video games as a whole but key interest in using them in education,” Langston said. “We will probably have some speakers who create games or talk or teach about game based learning.”

“We try to keep it not about two people who love video games nerding it out but to make it about critical thinking like having a two-way conversation about how games can be used in education for example,” Langston said.

The podcast is not recorded live, but the speakers aim to create the podcast as if it was.

“It was pretty unnerving. We did not record live but treated it as live,” Langston said. “We did it in one take. We happened to get it right the first time,” he said.

To listen or subscribe visit www.talknerdyiu.tumblr. com or http://go.iu.edu/79M. The podcast logo, via www.talknerdyiu.tumblr.com

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Robots: Now built at IUSB

By NICK WORT Staff Writer nickwort123@gmail.com Students from The Purdue College of Technology at IU South Bend will travel to West Lafayette on April 27 for the first annual SumoBot Challenge at Purdue University.

Sumo robots are robots designed to challenge another robot. The two machines clash and attempt to push each other out of the ring, like traditional sumo wrestling.

The robot that wins two out of the three rounds wins the match and advances to the next stage of the competition. The matches are timed, and in the event that neither robot is pushed out of the arena, the robot that moves the most or makes the most noise wins. The competition is also divided into weight classes.

“We’re doing the international class, which is the eleven pound, nine inch by nine inch class. There are also miniature classes, which is what this robot was designed for,” said John Piller, a continuing lecturer for electrical engineering technologies at the Purdue College of Technology and the faculty advisor for the Purdue South Bend Controls Society. “We’re gonna throw the miniature class in, this is the lightweight going against the heavy weights trying to not die.”

“We’re going to evade since we’re this little itty miniature guy. They’re

going to continuously search and attack us, and we’re going to continuously evade,” Piller said. “It’s a big circle, so what we’re going to do is head towards the side and go around the circle till we run into the other guy, then go the other way.

We’re going to try and maintain that and hopefully win through the brackets, with plan of action rather than actual brute force.”

Each team for the event will be composed of four people. South Bend’s team will be composed of members of the Controls Society.

The Controls Society is an IUSB club that focuses on forming connections between the school and local businesses, creating funding for student participation in tradeshows and conferences and demonstrating technological skills in various displays, like the Sumo Bot challenge.

Although the club focuses on students from The Purdue Technology Building, Piller encourages all IUSB students who are interested to come out.

“With the Controls Society, our hope was to connect some of our students who don’t have direct connections with local industries around here. The industries talk to the professors here and the professors talk to the students. One of the things I saw while I worked at West Lafayette was that there were a multitude of societies and clubs that also had companies interested

The Sumo Robot from the Purdue College of Technology in the ring.

PREFACE PHOTO/NICK WORT in their students after graduation.

So that was one of the goals, to give the students that communication,” Piller said.

The group has plans to secure funding to send students to trade shows and conferences, as well as setting up nights where students and community members could learn basic technological skills by constructing various kits with practical uses.

Although this is the first competition for the Controls Society and

the first Sumo Bot competition Purdue University has hosted, Piller has big plans for future events.

“We’re hoping that if this is a valid competition, to go ahead and host a one of our own and invite the community. Purdue has been very quiet down here at the bottom of the hill, I’m trying to be loud and proud,” said Piller. “If this is a successful first run, we would like to do the fall invitational in South Bend, so that West Lafayette can come here and

so could other institutions. We’re going to try to invite Notre Dame people, invite IUSB people and anyone who would like to compete.”

More information on The Purdue College of Technology at IUSB can be found online at www. tech.purdue.edu/southbend.

More information on the Sumo But challenge and the Controls Society can be found by contacting John Piller at Jpiller@purdue.edu.

S IUSB Adventures

Illustrated by Traci Bremer

S

Wednesday, April 17

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IU South Bend celebrates Asian heritage

By SARAH E. WARD Staff Writer saeward@iusb.edu

The Asian-Pacific American Heritage Committee hosted the 14th annual IU South Bend Asian Heritage Month Celebration at the University Grill on Friday, April 12.

The free event

opened with a presentation on Asian culture, religion and traditions.

Following was a demonstration of a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. The tea ceremony was introduced by China in the 16th century and there are still two main schools that teach the art of serving tea: the Omote Senke and Ura Senke.

Chinese dancers at the event wore

traditional Kimonos, and children performed Indian dances. IUSB students Zachary Hoffer and Shennendoah Hoffer participated in the event as Chinese models.

“What we are wearing now is mostly for special occasions and things like that,” the Hoffers explained.

Photos: Top right: Traditional costume was a central part of the event.

Above: Sushi was a part of the celebration.

Far right: A volunteer demon-

strates the art of Japanese characters.

Preface photos/SARAH WARD

There

were tables set up for origami instruction, information on tourism in Taiwan and a table where attendees could have their names painted in Japanese characters.

The food was provided by the University Grill and Martin’s Supermarket.

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Now introducing: The Sisters Assisting Sisters Organization Students make community service a priority

By LAUREN PAJAKOWSKI Staff Writer lpajakow@gmail.com Spring has sprung at IU South Bend and with it there has blossomed a new student organization: Sisters Assisting Sisters (S.A.S) As mentioned in their Facebook’s mission statement, their main focus is forming relationships and bonds with fellow students and making a positive difference in the community.

At just two-months old, that’s exactly what they’ve been doing.

S.A.S President and Creator Brikayla Hardy is a senior at IUSB and has been working on the creation of the club for the past year.

“I started S.A.S last year, but we didn’t have enough members so I took a break. I then re-wrote the constitution and got some new members and we’ve now been around for the past couple months.”

Now a 10-member organization, S.A.S has wasted little time getting out into the community and making a difference.

“Our main mission is giving back.

For Valentine’s Day we went to Morning Crest, the nursing home up the street, and spent the day with the residents and gave them cards.”

Another project S.A.S worked on was a clothing drive on campus.

The drive was for the Family Justice Center for their victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.

Bins were be set up in North Side, Wiekamp and the SAC.

Visiting Morning View Nursing Home is just one service project the Sisters have embarked upon.

Photo courtsey of S.A.S While S.A.S has made their main mission the community, they also focus strongly on forming lasting relationships.

“We also do things like make shirts and have game-nights. While we’re trying to make changes in the community we’re also trying to develop

more relationships in college students because a lot of people struggle with feeling comfortable with themselves and struggle to make associates. We want to be a positive outlet for our members,” Hardy said.

Hardy wants interested students to know S.A.S isn’t just reserved for

women.

“If there is something you see that needs to be done, or that we can improve, we can work together on making it happen. That’s what we do. We voice our opinions and come together on things all in an effort to better the community, help

people that need to be helped, or just spend time with people who don’t receive enough attention.”

The group can be found on Facebook by searching “Sisters Assisting Sisters.” Hardy can be contacted directly via e-mail at:brihardy@umail. iu.edu.

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Wednesday, April 17

Pups in the Park: Dog walk at River Park

By BRIDGET JOHNSON Staff writer baj4@umail.iu.edu Despite rain and snow, dozens of people and their furry companions walked along Mishawaka Avenue on April 13. People walked from shop to shop collecting stamps in their Pet Walk Passports.

Local businesses in the River Park corridor were interested in bringing visitors through their doors with the fun event. Participants had the chance to win a new HD TV and meet business owners.

The event began at the Farmer’s Market. Puppies and fullgrown dogs sniffed around while the owners collected their passports. The passports were to be filled with stamps from participating businesses.

Most businesses had dog treats ready for the pups. The people running the stands were bundled up as the sleet and rain came down. Still, a smile appeared when a dog walked to the table.

When asked what groups were participating, a woman shouted, “Only crazy people.”

She gestured to the rain as she shivered and her dog nuzzled a small puppy.

At one stop, a group was supporting pit bull rescue. A group of pit bulls and their owners were gathered around the table.

Great Danes, Border Collies, Terriers, and a variety of other breeds made it to the last business on the walk then turned around to make their way back.

Michiana residents braved the gloomy weather to spend a day with their pooches in River Park.

Preface Photo/BRIDGET JOHNSON

Pippin: A review

By BRIDGET JOHNSON Staff Writer baj4@umail.iu.edu Last weekend, IU South Bend theater students presented Pippin. The box office was required to hang signs warning audience members about the play’s adult content.

At the beginning of the musical, an additional warning about pyrotechnics was given. This play was off to a good start before it began.

The premise was that a troupe of actors was putting on a play about Charlemagne and his son, Pippin. Pippin gos on a journey to discover his purpose in life but faces many real-world issues and temptations.

However, this story is a play within a play. The young man who will play Pippin is on his own quest of self-discovery.

When he refuses to play the part of Pippin to the Lead Player Marlon Burnley’s specifications, the troupe simply seduces another young man with promises of glory.

Leading man, Jess Alexander, played the character of Pippin.

He delivered his character very well with a strong voice and charming mannerisms.

The audience laughed with each skillfully delivered line from every actor. A sing-along portion of one of the songs got the audience involved, too. Dance inspired by the original choreographer, Bob Fosse, was used to allude to the adult content.

A stellar delivery of the musical’s content was complimented by the set, costumes and lighting.

This performance was dark, tongue-in-cheek and ended with a bang in addition to a moral.

To see more of what the IU South Bend arts department is up to, visit www.iusb.edu/arts

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PAGE 10 WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010

“How I learned to stop worrying This is the end, and love Kim Jong Un” my friends

By CHRISTINA CLARK Columnist christinalee1788@gmail.com I’ve been hearing a lot about North Korea lately. I mean, who hasn’t? On Thursday, April 4, Google Trends marked the term “North Korea” as its “peak search interest.” Nothing was searched more than “North Korea” on that day on Google. There is a lot of Google-ing to be done. So that should say something about how important this whole thing is to pay attention to.

But on the other hand, should we really be? Is there reason to start digging a bunker in your backyard? Should you be stocking up on nonperishables like a “doomsday prepper” or an “extreme couponer”? (By all means, keep a thousand cans of food on hand, at all times. You never know what’s going to happen next.)

I mean, if you want to be super prepared for what happens when the Doomsday clock strikes midnight, prepare away. Building a massive luxury bunker should be on everyone’s to-do list. But is this the time to be worried?

This is completely up to you, but personally, my spideysenses are not tingling.

It may help that I have several American friends in South Korea teaching English. One has even stated on Facebook that the media needs to stop scaring her grandmother, that nobody there is alarmed. In a story from an NPR “All Things

Considered,” they spoke to a 76-year-old South Korean man, simply named as “Hong” in the preview story.

“It’s like a joke. It’s like a playground bully. I don’t take it seriously. It’s nonsense,” he said in the interview.

In another blog on NPR

by Mark Memmot on April 9,

christina clark

Kim Jong Un’s recent actions have caused both skepticism and alarm worldwide.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Frank Langfitt is quoted telling “Morning Edition” that “people here [Seoul, South Korea] think the verbal attacks are designed to bolster North Korea’s new, inexperienced leader, Kim Jong Un, as he tries to develop support

at home.”

Another theory being posed is that North Korea might actually claim a “victory” and stand down.

If North Korea actually launches anything, they will be met with readied power.

Mandi Steffey

Japan is on alert and obviously the United States is taking these threats seriously.

As far as I’ve heard, the United States has a well armored military. I’m not worried about any lack of guns, bombs or otherwise from “our” side. A surprise attack is less likely these days as well, as all activity is pretty well monitored (especially if you’re warning people you’re going to do something rash).

I am no expert on North Korea, but I know that they have been secluded from international media and only hear what their leader deems acceptable (usually news generated by their government).

There are many practices and rituals honoring their leader that is a part of their everyday existence. There are awful things to be said about their prison camps, and it’s not the North Korean people who should be blamed, but their poor leadership in its seemingly crazy behavior.

Kim Jong Un feels the need to threaten the rest of the world to make himself and his country feel important. Just as Hong said about North Korea, Kim Jong Un is a playground bully.

By MANDI STEFFEY Columnist asteffey@indiana.edu Well, friends, this is it. My last column for The Preface.

After two years of writing an entertainment and culture column, it’s time to call it a wrap. My time as a columnist has introduced me to many interesting people and some pretty amazing topics.

I would like to thank those who have read the column over the past two years. I hope I brought you some useful information about local and national entertainment and cultural issues. My idea was to spread the word about how fun the world can be if you embrace different things.

Another thanks should be extended to the many local bands that have let me (poorly, at first) interview them. The heart of why I started to write this column is to support local music, which is a cause that is very close to my heart. I hope the articles that I’ve written about bands featured in The Preface have gained some kind of recognition or fandom in result. Keep doing what you’re doing.

With one year left of classes at IU South Bend, I still

plan to bring entertainment and culture coverage to The Preface. The column has to come to an end for

“I would like to thank those who have read the column over the past two years. I hope I brought you some useful information about local and national entertainment and cultural issues.” me, but I’m a news nerd and my eyes are glued to RollingStone.com’s newsfeed and InTheBend.com is one of my browser favorites. I’ll be sure to let you guys know what’s going on.

Thanks for reading, even if you’ve only read a few columns. I have received numerous emails and Facebook messages from readers letting me know how they’ve connected with my column—thanks for that.

As always, be sure to keep reading and check out other columns featured in The Preface.

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Wednesday, April 17

11

WWW.IUSBPREFACE.COM

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2010 PAGE 11

What I really learned from IUSB Part III: The Un-Epic Conclusion

By JOSEPH GRAF Managing Editor So this is it folks. The final column in the series, the final chapter in the story, and the last article I will ever write for the Preface.

For those of you following along with this series, you’ve probably been waiting for the knockout punch. Well, now would be the time to put your mouth guards in.

When senior year began, I was unbelievably optimistic. I had so many plans and goals, and thought that this would be the best year of my life. I also thought that I could take on seven classes a semester so that I could actually graduate in four years.

What actually happened was that seven classes a semester didn’t leave me with time to do anything else. Is it my fault for overscheduling myself ? Yes, it is. But my goal was to graduate in four years, and to finally escape from the city of South Bend.

What isn’t my fault is that by taking four classes a semester for four years, which is considered “fulltime,” you would still be about a year and a half shy of graduating with a bachelor’s degree at IUSB. And it’s not just the IU school system that does this. Most universities’ normal full-time credit schedules fall way past the four year mark. It’s rare to actually graduate on time.

If you attend school at a higher quality university where most of the students are from out of town and the surrounding

town is full of college life and progressive ideals (i.e.

Bloomington), you probably won’t mind going to college for six years.

If you’re 24 years old and have been stuck in South Bend your entire life like myself, you probably want to leave as soon as possible.

But do you want to know something sad? Indiana University doesn’t have a good reason to require you to take so many classes. I know this because IU’s recent legal actions admitted it.

Per a law passed last year by the Indiana General Assembly called House Enrolled Act 1220, all state universities have to justify requiring more than 120 credit hours for bachelor’s degrees or 60 credit hours for associate degrees.

Without much hesitation, IU reduced the credit hours for 239 of their degree programs by a combined 813 credit hours.

That’s 813 credit hours that the school did not justify the necessity for, yet have been requiring for degree programs.

Because this new policy only affects those who will begin enrollment at an IU school this upcoming fall and beyond, those of us who are already enrolled will still have to fulfill whatever credit hour requirements were in place when we first started.

On average, most degree programs were only 3-6 credit hours past the 120 credit hour mark. But if those credits were unjustified, how many more would be cut if the law required another justification or reduction?

Plain and simple, the IU school system has been wasting your time and stealing your money by requiring classes that they cannot justify an educational necessity for.

Really, I’m not surprised.

I never really felt that I’ve received much of an “education” from going to IUSB in the first place.

My life isn’t the same as everybody’s, but I have learned way more outside of school than in the classroom. I already admit that I don’t buy textbooks, and I find all the information I need for my schoolwork online per scholarly sources. The internet has taught me more than class discussions have, and you don’t need to enroll in college to use the internet.

The professors at this campus are also hit or miss. There are many that “get it” and take their jobs as educators seriously, but there are just as many that don’t. Even worse, there is a growing number that put all the responsibility of teaching on the students. You may pay to go to class only to spend significantly more time doing

homework than being in the classroom, essentially teaching yourself. If you aren’t learning it from the professor, then what’s the point of paying them?

I’ve talked to many college graduates from multiple IU campuses, and most of them have a pretty consensus idea about the education they received. They don’t feel prepared for their careers, and they were not even taught about many components essential to performing their job. When they get hired, they pretty much have to re-learn everything during company train, which they often get paid for, and usually lasts less than a couple months at most.

“So you’re saying that the company could more efficiently and productively train you to do the job in less time than college could, and you could get paid for it instead of paying ridiculous amounts of money to receive it?”

Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.

Personally, I think the “power of an IU degree” is over-exaggerated. The

degree doesn’t prepare you for your career or life. The degree only increases your chances of getting the job interview. That’s it. Everything after that is back up to you again.

College markets itself as a place to expand your mind and create a level playing field. In fact, it’s pretty much the exact opposite. It tells you how to think and what to think, what you can and cannot say, and stresses political correctness over logic and actual opinion.

Wealthy families can easily afford to send their kids to college, while people like me struggle to make ends meet while dedicating our time to classwork.

It puts many people in unbelievable debt. It has been known to cause extreme stress and anxiety.

There’s a whole plethora of mental and health problems that have been linked to prolonged exposure to college classes and the work that accompanies them.

And in the end, all you get is a piece of paper that has your name on it that signifies you’re willing to put up with years of unpaid work just to prove you’re worth hiring. The actual educational value, at least in my opinion, is next to nothing.

All of you who are not in my position are probably thinking, “If you hate it so much, then why

don’t you just drop out?”

Because I’m better than that. Maybe the education isn’t worth much to me, but I made a commitment to myself the first time I signed up for classes and a loan that I would not stop until I finished. If I dropped out now, all the time and money I’ve already spent would be for nothing.

Plus, I get a kick out of proving everyone wrong.

I’m the person who used to get in legal trouble, the slacker, the guy who admits that he is not a role model. I channeled everyone’s doubt into motivation, and am now months away from being a college graduate.

Still, I wouldn’t suggest college to anybody.

Unless you absolutely want to go to college, don’t. Don’t listen to your parents, don’t listen to your friends, and don’t even listen to me. Do what you want, and don’t make the same mistake that I did by going just because everyone kept telling you it was the “right thing to do.” It’s only right if you want it for yourself.

So what did I really learn from IUSB? It only confirmed what I already believed: don’t trust college, it doesn’t make you any more intelligent than you’re meant to be, and in the end it only wants your money.

sudoku solution

Wednesday, April 17

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Arctic Enema, Electroshock Therapy, and the Funky Monkey: It’s tough mudding

Student Steven Vigue seeks team members for hardcore obstacle course

By DANIELLE MILLER Staff Writer dnaxe@umail.iu.edu

Over 750 thousand people will experience the Arctic Enema this year—for fun. The Arctic Enema is the name of an obstacle, a 20-footlong ice bath in the Tough Mudder events which feature a 10 to 12 mile obstacle course designed by British Special Forces.

Participants are encouraged to register as a team. IU South Bend student Steven Vigue is organizing a team of Raging Titans to compete in Chicago on May 18-19.

“British Forces started it in the UK in 2008 and now it’s all over the world. It’s designed after their training facilities,” said Vigue, who has participated in 3 Tough Mudder events.

The obstacles and course change with each event, but some, such as the Arctic Enema, have been repeated.

“My favorite obstacle is the Funky Monkey,” Vigue said. “It’s 50 feet of monkey bars in the shape of a house. Other obstacles like the anaconda is a tunnel you crawl through on your hands and knees in rocks and dirt and into a small pool of water,” he said.

The obstacles are designed to challenge participants not only physically, but mentally as well.

“The electroshock therapy really scares a lot of people. It’s the final event and the most intimidating,” Vigue said. “It’s 30 to 50 feet in

Tough Mudder obstacle courses include hills, mud, water, ropes, walls, electric shocks and fire.

Photo courtesy of Steven Vigue length on beams of wood and there are wires draping six inches apart.

They are coated in yellow rubber with slits in them. If you touch it, you’re going to feel it. It’s difficult to get around. You can’t go under it.

It’s the final event and you can see the finish line.”

The average time to get through the entire course is three hours with groups starting every twenty minutes throughout the two days. After the course is completed, teams can

get a Tough Mudder tattoo and a beer with the rest of their swag, according to the website.

“The purpose is not to race, it’s the challenge. You put teamwork before winning. You jump into an environment of fun. You build confidence. There’s mud and rocks but people are still joking and laughing,” he said.

The Tough Mudder website does not encourage a specific training regime however Vigue already works

out in the SAC and will offer to simulate some of the obstacles with his teammates to prepare them.

“Tough Mudder will punish you, no matter your shape, size, or current level of fitness,” says the website. “As such, we encourage all Mudders to increase their physical training in preparation for the event.

That said, completing a Mudder is as much about mental toughness, grit, and camaraderie (and having a great time) as anything exclusively physi-

cal…each Tough Mudder course will have 10-12 miles of hills, mud, water, ropes, walls, electric shocks and fire designed to push you to your limit.”

To join the Raging Titans team contact Steven Vigue at svigue@ umail.iu.edu or call 574-315-2878.

To learn more visit www.toughmudder.com.

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