Sleep-out raises awareness - Indiana University Southeast

Week of April 20, 2009 Opinions The Horizon • Page 5
University advertises
wrong talking points
Well, guys, I’m finally out
of your hair.
But not before I have one
last opportunity to try to
make a point. So, with one
final battle cry, here it comes.
I know I’ve already ady ar-
gued this, but some
topics just need a
little more emphasis.
Something this
university hasn’t
made a habit of,
though, is emphasizing
what deserves extra
attention.
The marketing of this
campus has improved over
the last year or so, but I can’t
help but feel it’s misguided.
Last week, I talked about
how no one really cares about
the Core Values, Mission and
Vision Statements plastered
all over campus. They’re the
same droning words every
university has and they mean
just as little abroad as they do
here.
There’s nothing unique
about these concepts, which
makes them easy to miss
when choosing a college.
Sure, the university has
grown with residence halls
and the improvement of
some of the buildings here,
but all that says to me is there
was more money coming to
the school. Big deal.
Even with the fun aspects
they try to advertise, it all
seems off-target. Last Friday,
some students were video
taped playing Frisbee for
Public Relations. They’re not
even the ones who actually
play the game from week to
week, and it shows.
I’ve spent six years here
[yes, six], and nothing
pumped out of the school’s
various incantations of Public
Relations has inspired me
in the least. Never have I recited
the Core Values when
I talk about IU Southeast. I
don’t talk about how the Mission
Statement has affected
my education, nor do I mention
how the Vision Statement
gives me hope for the
direction of this campus.
Rather, I always talk about
how the faculty has an unbelievable
willingness to help
students succeed in the real
world. If it weren’t for my
professors and other staff
members here, I wouldn’t
have a portfolio of real-world
work. They’ve helped me get
in touch with professionals
and put my skills to work
before I ever thought about
wearing a cap and gown.
Other students who have
done the same have helped
me to bounce ideas around
and develop concepts for
what I’m going to do when
I leave this campus. None of
that had to do with a Mission
I’m graduating soon, and
as much as I hate to admit it,
I’m sad to leave.
The past 19 years of my
life, I’ve been in school in one
form or another. It’s eaten
up hours upon days upon
months of my life, and I’ve
complained about having to
attend it constantly.
Now I’m leaving, and I
don’t want to.
I propose a solution: pay
me to attend college.
It could be a new salaried
position at IU Southeast. Let’s
name the position “Campus
Scholar.” Sure, there are lots
of “scholars” on campus, but
only one is designated as the
official Campus Scholar, my
dears: Yours truly.
I guess we could start out
the salary at $40,000 and I
could get raises based upon
cool stuff I learn. Like, say
I learn how to sew a quilt.
That’s pretty useful, but I
Statement.
Administrators who have
worked in my field have offered
perspectives I couldn’t
have imagined as an amateur
in the journalism business.
Maybe that ties into a Core
Value
Jerod
some-
Clapp
where,
Senior Editor
but that
jlclapp@ius.edu
doesn’t
really
matter.
The schools on campus
need a little more press, too.
They’re not recognized for
their achievements or celebrated
for having unique degree
programs in this region.
Only a couple of schools
get any significant notoriety,
and it’s a real shame the focus
isn’t spread out more.
The School of Business and
the School of Education get
plenty of exposure.
I’ve always loved the art
shows put on by students in
the Barr Gallery. Students in
Social Sciences come away
with awards from conferences
across the state consistently,
and the most they get
is a mention in the PR section
on the IUS Web site, or a few
pictures on screensavers.
We had a story in last
week’s issue about an advertising
student who graduated,
began to work in one of
the biggest advertising firms
in the world, then was nationally
recognized for being
one of the best in his field.
Of course, I have to tout
the journalism program a
little. The University of Louisville’s
paper might be prettier,
admittedly, but it’s certainly
not better. It’s run by
communications and English
majors because U of L doesn’t
have a journalism program.
Students who have graduated
from our journalism
school have gone on to become
corporate figures in
national news corporations
and secure the spot of LEO’s
editor in chief. I didn’t learn
about any of this until after I
came to school here.
Promoting these points
about all of the different
programs on this campus
will not only make students
want to attend this university,
but make parents feel
more secure about spending
thousands on tuition at
this school. IU Southeast has
consistently advertised competitive
tuition rates. cheaper
doesn’t always mean better.
Well, it’s been a good run.
I hope this school continues
to grow, and I hope it takes
more of an interest in the
people who make this place
wonderful. Without them,
we’d genuinely be another
community college.
wouldn’t really say quilting
is cool. Learning quilting
would be like, a half percent
raise. If I learned how to do
something sweet, like dissect
a chicken or create a debilitating
virus, I could get a
whole percent raise.
There could also be special
bonuses for learning special
skills. Personally, I would
love to see a $1,000 bonus for
acquiring James Beeby’s ability
to wear awesome sport
coats with turtleneck sweaters
on any day of the year,
Liam Felsen’s mastery of all
things Tolkien or Rebecca
Carlton’s powers of expert
speech and adorability.
It’d be amazing. Think
about it. All I would do is
go to class, learn awesome
things, and take tests. Then
I’d get a bunch of money for
it. The other half of my job
would be to go around campus,
and tell people the cool
No more ‘sleeping out’
On Wednesday, April 15,
a new student-led organization
held “Barricade of
Boxes.” I attended expecting
students and faculty to
be rallying for the homeless
and trying to raise money
from students living like the
homeless. However, I was
startled to see how students
were really volunteering
their time.
Some students had made
their boxes into homeless
condos. Several students
took various boxes and
taped them together to make
it look like a fort or a house.
They also decorated their
boxes with spray paint and
markers. Some of the boxes
had homeless statistics, but
some had written that a certain
fraternity loved the Alpha
Phi’s and how they were
the “boss.” I mean, I’m sure
homeless people have boxdecorating
contests to see
whose fort is better.
I was appalled to see a
group of students had their
friends bring them pizza.
Do homeless people order
pizza? I don’t think so, but I
could be wrong.
There was a flash of light
with laughter and I looked
over in time to see three girls
cuddling in a box taking pictures
of themselves. Homeless
teens can’t afford digital
cameras, and if they had one,
I’m sure they would sacrifice
it to feed their families.
It made me so angry that
people weren’t taking this as
seriously as I had hoped.
Some guys even joked
about sleeping in the same
boxes as girls. Could we be
any more immature?
I later found out there
The Horizon has been
known to print some scathing
articles and columns.
I have written my share
of harsh stories.
Recently, a fellow
student mentioned
to me how it
seemed we want
to make the
school look
bad and that
we have no school spirit.
I can’t speak for every
member of The Horizon,
but for me, this could not be
further from the truth.
The truth is I have a lot
of school spirit. I don’t have
the cheerleading, Gus-type
school spirit, but I do love
IU Southeast. I think it’s a
great school. Our professors
are knowledgeable
and friendly, our campus
is fairly nice to look at, and
the atmosphere is great. I
like that IUS is a commuter
school, even though it may
pretend at times to not be.
I don’t go to any organized
athletic events or gimmicky
Campus
Zach
Life gettogethers,
Hester
Editor
but the
zwhester@ius.edu
fact that
these are
not the focus of
our campus is another
pro to IU Southeast.
But there is room for improvement.
That’s where
the critical articles come in.
Last year I wrote an article
about how the school
failed to provide the chemistry
department with a
working nuclear magnetic
resonance machine. I did
not want to write the article
to point out how ridiculous
and embarrassing it was
that the chemistry department
did not have one of
the most important pieces of
things I’ve learned. Then, as
a gesture of kindness, they
could tip me for my expert
advice.
I understand this position
would be controversial, considering
I’d be getting to do
everything cool, and I’d be really
smart and attractive. I’m
sure a lot of men would envy
me, because all of the women
on campus would naturally
be attracted to me and my big
brain. It’s all right. I have a
contingency plan.
Most people who are acquainted
with me know I’m a
huge fan of “Buffy the Vampire
Slayer,” the amazing
television program that features
Sarah Michelle Gellar
being awesome. It aired from
1997 until 2003. Simply put,
it was the best TV show ever.
Surely our humble readers
remember “Buffy.” No?
Make sure not to tell me that.
It hurts me like a knife.
Anyway, we could start
a new degree program in
“Buffyology.” It wouldn’t
require much work on my
part, because I’ve already
earned my doctorate in Buffy
science. I would probably
ask Beeby to teach “Watcher
101,” since he’s British, and
all Watchers are British. Do
we have any martial artists
on campus? I could pretend
to teach that, but I’m overweight,
and would probably
fall down a lot when instructing.
We could get one of the
goth kids on campus to teach
vampire studies. The only
member of my staff I would
have problems finding would
Nikki
Fouch
Editor
bnfouch@ius.edu
would be speakers indoors,
followed by a movie, “The
Pursuit of Happiness.” So
when you are supposed to
sleep out for the homeless
from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., it is
OK to spend three of those
hours indoors to listen to
people talk and watch movies?
I don’t think so. If you
are going to commit yourself
to something, you need to
really commit to it. Don’t do
things half-heartedly. It is a
joke and if I were homeless, I
would be offended.
Don’t get me wrong. The
two girls that put the event
together, Erin Carlisle and
Emily King, had good hearts
and tried to make the best
out of it. This was their attempt
to create a new organization
on campus called
Student United Way. For being
a first event for an aspiring
organization, they did a
good job; students just took
advantage of this event.
The icing on the cake
was finding out some students
were sleeping in tents.
Homeless awareness is
raised by sleeping in tents?
What Einsteins thought of
this? Those would be the Phi
Beta Sigmas.
“We just decided to sleep
in tents, they (Student United
Way) decide to sleep in
boxes, Reuben Otero, Phi
Beta Sigma member, said.
“Not every homeless person
sleeps in a cardboard box.”
I think the whole thing
be someone to teach sorcery.
On the television program,
Willow, the resident magician,
was a lesbian, so being
gay would be a plus. I’m going
for authenticity here. If
you’re not gay, that’s cool
though. I would welcome all.
Or I could turn campus
into a year-round Oktoberfest
with Bohdan Bochan and
David Domine.
I guess the underlying
piece of my argument is my
lack of desire to leave. I feel
was a half-ass way to do
things. Why not take a group
of students and volunteer
your time working with the
homeless in a shelter or in
a soup kitchen? I think they
would appreciate that more
than students being aware
they exist. Newsflash! There
are homeless people. I don’t
think this is new news.
I hope student organizations
learn their lesson and
stop sleeping out for the
homeless. Instead, spend
time with a homeless person
for 12 hours and see what
their life is like if you want to
be more aware. Raise money
for a homeless person or
shelter. Volunteer to help
build homes for homeless
people. Please, I beg you, do
something better than sleeping
out for the homeless next
year.
Express your school spirit wisely
‘Some people want the school to look
great. I want the school to be great.”
equipment for research and
education. I wrote the article
to bring attention to the problem
so the school would stop
pinching pennies and give
the chemistry students and
faculty what they needed.
I’ve written a couple of
articles about how the buildings
on campus are in various
states of disrepair. My goal
was not simply to make the
school look bad. I was hoping
more people would become
aware that the campus
was too dependent on state
funding for building repair
and rehabilitation that is drying
up so alternatives could
be explored. Obviously the
alternative of not spending
$8,000 on a mascot was not
explored very thoroughly.
Several Horizon writers
have been hard on the SGA,
particularly on the Opinions
page. But it’s nothing personal.
I don’t dislike any SGA
members as people. But I and
some of my colleagues think
they could do a better job.
The point is we expose
problems so they can be addressed
and, hopefully, fixed.
Some people on campus
want the school to look great.
I want the school to be great.
If embarrassment is what
it takes to prod the administration
into action, then so be
it. If people would rather hide
the problems than fix them, I
may have more school spirit
than any of them.
chool is fun; I don’t really want to leave IU Southeast
Ian
Hoopesopes
Editor
ihoopes@ius.eduopes@ius.edu
as though I’ve been here for
so long, I’ll feel empty without
a little IU Southeast in my
life. I’m really going to miss
it all, even the people who
pretend they’re living like the
homeless, even though they
actually slept in tents and ordered
pizza.
Even people who hate The
Horizon. Even the people
who didn’t tell me I couldn’t
get a student loan if I was less
than half-time.
I’m not bitter.
One third of the world’s population is currently infected with tuberculosis.