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Daily IU news update

IU Mourns; Plane crash kills five
Indiana Daily Student and Bloomington Herald-Times, April 22-24 -- Five IU music students are dead after the small airplane carrying them crashed just south of Monroe County Airport late Thursday night. Robert Samels, Zachary Novak, Garth Eppley, Georgina Joshi and Chris Carducci were killed after their six-seat Cessna crashed while attempting to land late Thursday night. Full story1 Full story2

Five talented voices silenced by crash
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 22 -- His rich tones and smooth delivery soothed many a listener who tuned in to WFIU, Indiana University's public radio station, whether to listen to the news or to "Cantabile," a showcase of the human voice. Robert Samels' own voice was silenced Thursday night in a plane crash near the Monroe County Airport. Samels died in the accident, along with Georgina Joshi, Garth Eppley, Chris Carducci and Zachary Novak. All were graduate students at the IU Jacobs School of Music. Full story

'I couldn't sing. All I could do was cry'
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 22 -- Natasha Komoda turned and pointed toward the green lawn bisected by walkways behind Indiana University's Musical Arts Center. I was just hanging out with him yesterday, right over there," she said. "We were waiting for rehearsal to start." Zachary Novak was Komoda's choir director her first semester as an IU voice major last fall, and she said she saw him on campus "every day." Until Friday. Full story

Coroner says plane crash victims died instantly
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 23 -- The five Indiana University grad students who perished in a Thursday night plane crash all died instantly, a Monroe County deputy coroner said. Full story

Music school mourns silenced voices; Students lost in plane crash praised as great artists
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 23 -- April 21, 2006, will forever be remembered as the day Indiana University lost five students in a tragic plane crash. For the IU Jacobs School of Music, it also will be remembered as the day the blossoming careers of five talented singers were cut short. Full story

Carducci had music in his bloodlines
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 - When he was in the first grade, Chris Carducci learned the fundamentals of singing and piano. Twenty years later, the experienced musician had earned his master's degree in voice performance and had performed in dozens of operas. Full story

Eppley embraced life, music
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- Garth Eppley never apologized for being himself. "He was really a passionate artist," his roommate and senior Jeff Gwaltney said. "Whenever he sang, he held nothing back." Friends described Eppley as a multifaceted, caring individual who was passionate about his faith and music. Full story

'Georgie' know for selflessness
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- Graduate student Sarah Jensvold Slover knew few people when she first came to Bloomington to study voice in 2003. When her birthday rolled around that year, she was astounded to find a gift bag stuck to her door. It was a votive candle holder from graduate student Georgina H. Joshi. "It was very touching because nobody else even knew," Slover said of her birthday. "Somehow she remembered." Joshi, 24, of South Bend, died late Thursday night in a plane crash. Full story

Remembering Novak's angelic voice
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- At most 8:30 a.m. services, Mary Beth Morgan, the congregation's director of adult and family ministries, would take time to have a "children's moment," in which she would lead the young members in a life lesson. As a tradition, this would entail Morgan inviting to the front all of the children -- and Zack Novak. Full story

Samels had many talents, good heart
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- Robert Samels had made an important decision this semester. Samels, his friends and mentors say, had so many talents -- singing, acting, writing, composing and conducting, among others -- that it had come time for the Jacobs School of Music doctoral student to decide which would be his career focus. Full story

Memorial for crash victims draws hundreds
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- Even with tables filled with hundreds of tiny flickering tealights, there weren't enough candles for the number of people who wanted to light them, said Reverend Jimmy Moore, associate pastor of First United Methodist Church. With only a few hours notice, attendants at First United Methodist Church, 219 E. Fourth St., managed to fill every pew -- including the balcony seats -- for a service to remember the lives of five IU music students killed in a plane crash late Thursday night. Full story

Beethoven concert allows time to reflect
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- Those who were not already standing leapt to their feet in an immediate ovation following a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony Sunday night. The Oratorio Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra dedicated their concert to the five IU Jacobs School of Music graduate students who died Thursday night in a plane crash in Monroe County. Young and old gathered in the aisles, filling the Musical Arts Center beyond its seating capacity. Full story

Classmates, friends remember students
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- Students gathered with friends and family -- some who had come from all around the country -- for the weekend of the 54th Little 500. But some gathered near the music school, not in celebration, but in mourning. The recent loss of five friends to a plane crash had hit them hard. Full story

A rising star is killed in plane crash
Detroit Free-Press, April 24 -- His passion for singing began in kindergarten with a little solo in a play at Monroe's St. John Elementary School. More than 20 years later, Christy Carducci was still singing -- his voice a crystal-clear, expressive baritone that earned him parts in operas such as "Don Giovanni," "The Turk in Italy" and "The Magic Flute." Today, Carducci's family and friends will begin saying good-bye to the young man who had dreams of singing opera professionally. Carducci of Monroe was one of five graduate students from Indiana University's School of Music killed Thursday in a plane crash as they returned from a concert rehearsal. Full story

Indiana University mourns 5 students killed in plane crash
Cincinnati Enquirer, April 24 -- Some 700 people joined in a memorial service near the Indiana University campus for five music school graduate students killed when their small plane crashed as they returned from a concert rehearsal. Full story

NOTE: There are more than 450 stories about the five IU students killed in a plane crash. To read more than the sampling noted here, click here.

IU Remembers Plane Crash Victims During Little 500
WISH-TV, April 22 -- Indiana University is still grieving after a plane crash killed five IU music students. The crash came just a day before IU's "Little 500" weekend, one of the biggest celebrations of the year. You might think on such a big campus, students who didn't know the crash victims wouldn't really be thinking about it. But Saturday afternoon at the race, it was just the opposite. Full story

IU student diagnosed with mumps; recent cases reported in Midwest; Health center official says outbreak unlikely- - but possible
Bloomington Herald-Times and Indiana Daily Student, April 22-24 -- The country's largest outbreak of mumps in more than 20 years has arrived in Bloomington. An Indiana University student has been diagnosed with the disease, according to Hugh Jessop, director of the Indiana University Health Center. Full story1 Full story2

Sex offender poses as IU baseball scout; Ohio man, 76, was collecting information from young men at DeKalb High School
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 22 -- A registered sex offender grabbed the attention of Indiana University officials this week by falsely telling young males he was a scout for the Hoosier baseball team. Full story

IUPD arrests down, no citations issued; Little 500 weekend brings fewer arrests this year
Indiana Daily Student and Bloomington Herald-Times, April 24 -- Arrests, citations and overall incident reports were down this year from previous Little 500s, according to IU Police Department Lt. Jerry Minger. Nineteen arrests had been made as of Sunday morning, most of which involved alcohol or drug possession. Full story1 Full story2

Former IU student sentenced on drug charge
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 22 -- A Bloomington man has been sentenced in connection with a November drug bust by Indiana University police. Andrew R. Magdovitz, 20, of 504 E. Cottage Grove Ave., pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of maintaining a common nuisance. A charge of possession of marijuana was dismissed by plea agreement. Full story

Fight breaks out at dance
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 -- IU police officers made at least two arrests in connection with a fight that broke out at a dance at the University Gym Saturday night, said Lt. Jerry Minger, reading from a police report. Officers responded to the fight, which scattered dance guests away from the altercation and out of the gym. Pepper spray was used to break up the fight, Minger said. Full story

Investing against a 'knowledge recession'
Richmond Palladium-Item, April 22 -- In this op-ed from IU East Chancellor David Fulton, compliments IU President Adam Herbert and focused on his confidence in the role of the university in building the "knowledge economy." Full story

The right fit; Academic challenge and personal happiness are keys to finding a good college
Indianapolis Star, April 23 -- The college search can be daunting. But finding the "right fit" is critical. The wrong fit often leads to students dropping out. The key, say counselors, is finding a campus where students can be challenged academically and happy first. Worry about finances later in the process, they advise. "They need to think about their interests and abilities, dreams and goals and what they think their own purpose is in going to college," said Mary Ellen Anderson, director of admissions at Indiana University. Full story

Half a wheel is enough; Kappa Kappa Gamma edges Kappa Delta at the finish line to win women's Little 500; Kappa wins 5th race
Bloomington Herald-Times and Indiana Daily Student, April 22-24 -- Jess Sapp knows the Little 500 inside and out. And like a baseball team's saving its bullpen ace, perennial power Kappa Kappa Gamma did a great job of keeping the speedster from Fishers in reserve until the very end. The senior responded like a veteran who has won this race before, putting herself in perfect position to nip Kappa Delta's Lauren Ziemba by half a wheel to hand her sorority a record fifth win in the 19th Women's Little 500 Friday at Armstrong Stadium. Full story1 Full story2

ATO wins men's Little 500; ATO cruises at Little 500; Arnesen sets tone as Alpha Tau Omega wins race by 35 seconds
Indiana Daily Student and Bloomington Herald-Times,, April 23-24 - In 2000, as a high school senior, Hans Arnesen came down to Bloomington from Minnesota and witnessed the Cutters lap the field en route to their sixth Little 500 championship. Five years later, in his final Little 500, the Alpha Tau Omega senior lapped the field 39 laps into the annual cycling race and never looked back. One hundred sixty laps later, despite attempts from Cutters, Dodds House, Phi Gamma Delta and Acacia to catch up, Arnesen took the checkered flag still in front by a lap. Full story1 Full story2

10th Street could become one-way
Indiana Daily Student, April 24 - Student drivers who habitually use 10th Street to drive to classes might need to rethink their routes in the future. University officials said Tuesday they plan to turn 10th Street into a one-way road with traffic moving east. This redirection would alleviate traffic congestion through campus, said University Architect Bob Meadows. Full story

Anonymous caller reports gunfire; no evidence find
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 22 -- More gunfire reportedly erupted in the city, this time coming Friday morning, but no one was injured or even hit in the alleged incident. And perhaps even worse, the caller who alerted Indiana University police to the incident didn't even want to provide her name or any detailed description because she said she feared possible retribution from those involved. Full story

Election a blow to Manzer's family
Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, April 23 -- A letter to the editor calls into question the eligibility of IPFW student Daniel Epple to serve in the campus' student government. Epple was arrested for drunken driving in the 2005 death of John Manzer, a professor on the campus. Full story

Purdue technology wending its way to market
Indianapolis Star, April 24 -- Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems, a tiny Massachusetts medical device company, is betting on a homegrown Indiana innovation to help propel it to Wall Street prominence. This is a story of a Purdue University professor and his team developing technology that holds the potential to improve the lives of people with spinal injuries. And it's also a story of Indiana University School of Medicine using its expertise to study the device's effects on patients. Full stor

IU voices in the news:

Nature's glue gun holds researchers' interest; Bacterium considered as surgical adhesive
Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette, April 24 -- A common bacterium that clings to the inside of water pipes stays in place with the strongest glue known to exist in nature, according to a team of scientists that includes an Indiana University biologist. The researchers found that the bacterium Caulobacter crescentus can withstand a force equivalent to five tons per square inch - the pressure exerted by three or four cars balanced atop a quarter - before it is swept from its moorings. Full story

To some, MySpace is Net's dark side; Web site's easy access to personal info draws millions of teens, worries their parents
Indianapolis Star, April 24 -- Though just two years old, MySpace and other social-networking Web sites have taken American youth culture by storm. "They're far more than Web sites," said Stanley Wasserman, an Indiana University sociologist who also serves as scientific consultant on social-networking software. "These are interaction groups. It's changing the way people interact." Full story

Virtual Worlds, Virtual Economies; An economist talks about how online games can blur the line between fantasy and reality
Business Week, May 1 -- When economist Edward Castronova wrote his first paper in 2001 about the economies of online games, he did it mostly as a joke. But even by then, he realized that in online virtual-world games such as Sony Entertainment's EverQuest, people were creating new economies that were as good as real to millions of participants. His studies eventually drove him to write an entire book about the subject, Synthetic Worlds: The Business and Culture of Online Games, published last year. Full story

Virtual sex growing up into real thing
India Times (Reuters report), April 24 -- When America's top sex researchers gathered recently to discuss the next decade in their field, some envisioned a future in which artificial sex partners could cater to every fantasy. "What is very likely to be present before 2016 would be a multi-sensual experience of virtual sex," said Julia Heiman, director of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction at Indiana University, Bloomington. "There is a possibility of developing erotic materials for yourself that would allow you to create a partner of certain dimensions and qualities, the partner saying certain things in that interaction, certain things happening in that interaction." Full story

Bridge to the chorus one last time; Director of IU's African American Choral
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 23 -- James Mumford could have been many things. When he tried his hand at growing Bonsai trees, the Japanese plants that are notoriously difficult to cultivate, he took home 11 first-place prizes from a Philadelphia Bonsai convention. When he wrote a letter to Dog World magazine about observations he made of his beloved Shih Tzu, a dog he bred, he became a regular columnist for the publication. "Most things I get involved with, I get really involved with," he said. The 70-year-old director of the Indiana University African American Choral Ensemble has no regrets. He believes wherever he is, that's where he's supposed to be. Come next week, Mumford will be a Bloomington retiree. He has threatened to retire every year for the past decade, and this time, he means it. Full story

Immigration and industry; Hostility toward, debate over people coming to America not a new issue
Bloomington Herald-Times, April 23 -- Some came looking for work. Others were fleeing religious persecution. Still more came to earn money and return home with a nest egg. And often they were not welcome. If this sounds like a current debate on immigration, it is not. The story is one that has played out in American history for years, according to John Bodnar, professor and chairman of the history department at Indiana University. "We have different actors today and different people coming from different places, but the conflict was somewhat similar," Bodnar said. Full story

From the Chronicle of Higher Education:

Inflation Beats Faculty Salaries Again
Faculty salaries failed to keep pace with inflation for the second year in a row, according to a new report by the American Association of University Professors.
Average faculty salaries are up 3.1 percent this academic year, but given the 3.5-percent inflation rate for 2005, real salary levels actually fell. The AAUP report suggests that real salaries may have declined in part because university administrators did not foresee that inflation would exceed 3 percent in the last two years after a decade in which inflation averaged just 2.5 percent. Full story

Colleges' Victory on Transfer-of-Credit Policy in House Bill Is in Doubt
Under pressure from college leaders and lobbyists, the U.S. House of Representatives voted last month to strike a provision from a key bill that would have given the federal government more oversight over colleges' transfer-of-credit policies.
Or did it? The answer is yes and no. And that ambiguity has left some lobbyists for traditional colleges worrying about whether they achieved the victory they thought they had. Full story

The IU Daily News Brief is a short review of media coverage relating to IU administrative and student news, federal and state legislative policy, and trends and issues in higher education. Prepared by the Office of Media Relations, the IU Daily News Brief is not an all-inclusive gathering of news featuring IU faculty and staff. To subscribe to the IU Daily IU news update list or to have your name removed, please contact Susan Williams in IU Media Relations at sulwilli@indiana.edu.