Front Page News at Indiana University

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IU students prepare for 19th annual Dance Marathon to benefit Riley Hospital for Children
New IU Innovation Center is opportunity for synergy, success, McRobbie notes
IU among top producing institutions for Fulbright and Fulbright-Hays grants
Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer pledges $10 million to IU Simon Cancer Center
Wide range of colleges and universities show gains in effective educational practices, survey finds
Indiana University to have separate Commencement to award graduate degrees
IU Southeast's part-time MBA program ranked ninth nationally
IU Cinema director candidates to visit IU Bloomington
Jacobs School of Music faculty member Josh Bell named 'Instrumentalist of the Year'
Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center at IU Bloomington celebrating its 40th anniversary
Diabetics at increased risk for vision loss, IU ophthalmologists caution
Alcohol-related problems decreasing among IU Bloomington students, especially freshmen
Survey finds algal toxins in Indiana lakes at higher than national rate
IU Bloomington Scoreboard

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IU students prepare for 19th annual Dance Marathon to benefit Riley Hospital for Children -- Indiana University Bloomington students will come together Nov. 13 for the 19th annual IU Dance Marathon (IUDM), a 36-hour fundraiser that benefits Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. More than 2,000 students are expected to participate in this year's Dance Marathon, which begins at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, and ends at 8 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER). The event will feature testimonials from Riley families and other guest speakers, dancing, music and food, as well as the chance to meet the families who have benefited from Riley's services and support. Last year, more than 800 dancers, 350 student committee members and 500 other volunteers (including IU alumni) raised a record $1,376,550.23 for the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center and Riley Hospital for Children. The IUDM is the second student-run philanthropy to raise more than $1 million for Riley. Read the complete story.

New IU Innovation Center is opportunity for synergy, success, McRobbie notes -- Indiana University's Innovation Center, a new $10 million home to university researchers and private start-up companies, was formally dedicated Nov. 9 by IU President Michael A. McRobbie. Citing an array of success stories previously sprung from collaborations between Indiana University and private companies -- the breathalyzer, the lie detector, fluoride toothpaste -- McRobbie idealized on the future for a 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility being envisioned as a key component of the president's Innovate Indiana initiative. The Innovation Center, located at 2719 E. 10th St., houses the IU Pervasive Technology Institute (PTI) and will soon provide offices for the Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of the IU Kelley School of Business, the IU School of Informatics, and IU Research and Technology Corp. (IURTC) administrators and staff. Read the complete story.

IU among top producing institutions for Fulbright and Fulbright-Hays grants -- Indiana University is ranked 15th nationally and tied for third in the Big Ten with 14 graduating seniors receiving Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants, according to a recent report in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Additionally, five IU graduate students have received Fulbright-Hays Grants. Together, they will study in 18 countries on research projects covering a variety of disciplines. "The success of so many IU students each year in the Fulbright competition indicates how well the university is meeting its goals for internationalization and global competency," said IU Vice President for International Affairs Patrick O'Meara. "We are proud that our students will carry their IU experience all over the world." Read the complete story.

Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer pledges $10 million to IU Simon Cancer Center -- Not only does Vera Bradley make popular handbags, but the Fort Wayne, Ind., company also is a generous partner with the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in the fight against breast cancer. The Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer announced Nov. 12 that it is committing $10 million to breast cancer research at the IU Simon Cancer Center. "The decision of our foundation board was unanimous," Patricia R. Miller, co-founder of Vera Bradley, said of the gift. "Generosity and commitment like that from the Vera Bradley Foundation are what will make the difference in this disease," said Dr. D. Craig Brater, dean of the IU School of Medicine. "These gifts touch women every day, not just in Indiana, but all over the world." Read the complete story.

Wide range of colleges and universities show gains in effective educational practices, survey finds -- A national survey released today indicates that a variety of colleges and universities have shown steady improvement in the quality of undergraduate education, as measured by students' exposure to and involvement in effective educational practices. The 2009 report from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), Assessment for Improvement: Tracking Student Engagement Over Time, details results from a 2009 survey of 360,000 students attending 617 U.S. colleges and universities, and it includes a special look at trends in student engagement at more than 200 of those schools that had four to six years of data going back to 2004. Read the complete story.

Indiana University to have separate Commencement to award graduate degrees -- Indiana University today announced a new event for spring Commencement activities at the Bloomington campus, adding a separate ceremony for graduate students receiving master's and doctoral degrees. The new event will take place at 3 p.m. on Friday, May 7, at Assembly Hall. Commencement ceremonies recognizing undergraduate students will be conducted as previously announced on Saturday, May 8, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Traditionally, graduate students had received their degrees on Saturday along with undergraduate students in their respective schools. But IU President Michael A. McRobbie and Bloomington Provost Karen Hanson wanted to enrich the graduation experience for all participants and their families. Moving to a separate ceremony for graduate students will allow for more time to focus on their distinct achievements and observe the academic tradition of hooding Ph.D. and doctoral candidates. Read the complete story.

IU Southeast's part-time MBA program ranked ninth nationally -- Indiana University Southeast's part-time MBA program climbed to ninth place in the rankings of part-time MBA programs released by BusinessWeek magazine in its issue dated Nov. 16. A gain of nine spots since the list last appeared, the ranking marks IU Southeast as the third highest ranked part-time MBA program in the Midwest and the only school in Indiana or the Greater Louisville area to achieve a top-10 national ranking from BusinessWeek. In addition the BusinessWeek survey revealed other areas of distinction including ranking second in the nation for post-MBA outcomes, 20th in the nation in student satisfaction, and third in the nation for small classes. Finally the IU Southeast Part-Time MBA program received the highest possible score of "A " for teaching quality and an "A" for curriculum. Read the complete story.

IU Cinema director candidates to visit IU Bloomington -- Four candidates for the position of IU Cinema director will visit the Indiana University Bloomington campus and speak at public forums during the next two weeks starting Thursday, Nov. 12. Last month, university officials conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for IU Cinema, formerly the University Theatre. The building will be renovated and converted to a state-of-the-art cinema facility with rehearsal and performance space for the Department of Theatre and Drama and new classrooms and offices. The IU Cinema director will be responsible for the cinema's mission; planning and administration; programming and education; developing stakeholders and audiences; fundraising and finance; and creating standards and practices. Read the complete story.

Jacobs School of Music faculty member Josh Bell named 'Instrumentalist of the Year' -- Indiana University Jacobs School of Music faculty member Joshua Bell -- today's most celebrated American violinist -- has been honored as the 2010 Instrumentalist of the Year by Musical America. Last week, just days after a concert at the IU Auditorium honoring the memory of Bell's mentor, the legendary pedagogue Josef Gingold, Bell traveled to Washington, D.C., to take part in a day of classical music at the White House, Nov. 4. Wearing jeans and a button-down shirt, Bell worked with young musicians at the White House during First Lady Michelle Obama's new White House Music Series, performing for an audience that included President and First Lady Obama. Read the complete story.

Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center at IU Bloomington celebrating its 40th anniversary -- The Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center will mark 40 years of providing support and educational programming to the African American community and others at Indiana University, with events next Thursday (Nov. 19). Events will include a tour of the building located at 275 N. Jordan Ave., a discussion of its history by community and campus leaders, entertainment by students from the African American Arts Institute and local high schools, an art exhibit, and a dinner for invited guests. The program will begin at 6 p.m. Most events are open to the public. The theme for the event is "Forty Years of Affirmation and Excellence." Read the complete story.

Diabetics at increased risk for vision loss, IU ophthalmologists caution -- If you have diabetes, a dilated eye exam should be at the top of your yearly health care to-do list. Diabetic eye disease, also known as diabetic retinopathy, is the leading cause of vision loss in American adults. As part of November's Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month, ophthalmologists at the Glick Eye Institute at the Indiana University School of Medicine encourage diabetics and all at-risk adults to make eye care a priority. The American Academy of Ophthalmology estimates that more than 29 million Americans age 20 and older have diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes. About one-third of those individuals are at risk for vision loss because they don't know they have the disease. Read the complete story.

Alcohol-related problems decreasing among IU Bloomington students, especially freshmen -- A new study conducted by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center (IPRC) at Indiana University's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation shows that alcohol abuse among IU Bloomington students has markedly decreased, even as alcohol abuse among college students across the nation is on the rise. "In the past, our rates have been higher than the rest of the country," said Dee Owens, director of IU's Alcohol-Drug Information Center in the Division of Student Affairs. "Now, instead of looking at our numbers going up or just staying steady -- which is considered a great success -- we saw our numbers go down in every category," she said. Read the complete story.

Survey finds algal toxins in Indiana lakes at higher than national rate -- Researchers from the Indiana University School of Public and Environmental Affairs found detectable levels of microcystin, a toxin produced by several common species of cyanobacteria, in 68 percent of a sample of Indiana lakes and reservoirs. That's higher than twice the rate at which microcystin was found in a nationwide survey conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The national survey found microcystins in 32 percent of lakes and reservoirs. The SPEA team, led by Professor Bill Jones, was contracted by the EPA and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to conduct the sampling of 50 Indiana lakes. Samples were sent to a variety of laboratories around the country for analysis. Read the complete story.

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Indiana University Bloomington Scoreboard

Results from Monday, Nov. 9:
Men's Basketball: Freshman Maurice Creek scored 16 points and had seven rebounds to lead four Hoosiers in double figures as Indiana topped Saint Joseph's (Indiana), 95-67. Read the game notes.

Results from Thursday, Nov. 12:
Men's Soccer: Second-half goals from Will Bruin and Darren Yeagle propelled the Hoosiers to a 2-0 victory over Wisconsin in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament. Read the match notes.

Schedule for Friday, Nov. 13:
Men's Soccer: Ohio State, 2 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.
Women's Volleyball: Michigan State, 6 p.m., East Lansing, Mich.
Women's Basketball: Memphis, 6 p.m., Memphis, Tenn.
Men's Basketball: Howard, 8 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.

Schedule for Saturday, Nov. 14:
Men's and Women's Cross Country: NCAA Great Lakes Regional, 12 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.
Football: Penn State, 12 p.m., University Park, Pa.
Field Hockey: Wake Forest, NCAA Championships, 2 p.m., Winston-Salem, N.C.
Women's Volleyball: Michigan, 7 p.m., Ann Arbor, Mich.

Schedule for Sunday, Nov. 15:
Men's Soccer: Big Ten Final, 2 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.
Women's Basketball: IUPUI, 2 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.
Women's Rowing: Ohio State/Michigan State Scrimmage, Columbus, Ohio
Wrestling: Michigan State Open, East Lansing, Mich.

Schedule for Monday, Nov. 16:
Men's Basketball: USC Upstate, 8:30 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.

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IU in the news

Move over feds, as locals try stimulus too
MSNBC, Nov. 13 -- In hard-hit Elkhart, Ind., there are glimmers of economic hope as some recreational vehicle makers and other companies have begun hiring again after a long downturn. But with the county jobless rate still well above the national average at 15 percent, state, county and local officials are pulling out all the stops to bring in more jobs, aggressively offering tax incentives to bring in new business or get existing businesses to expand. And they are leveraging Elkhart's national reputation for joblessness as a great reason for businesses to move here. "Elkhart County is a winner," notes Kurt Zorn, an economist and professor of public and environmental affairs at Indiana University. "And that's the game of economic development. Whether you think it's successful or not, you can't be a reputable state or locality without playing the game." But he acknowledges that in a case like this, there is no net gain for the national economy. "You're just transferring jobs from one area to another," he says. "In fact, you could argue that there's a loss in terms of taxpayer money." Full story.

Using stability ball at work beneficial
UPI, Nov. 12 -- Using a stability ball as an office chair has multiple benefits for workers, U.S. researchers suggest. Ergonomic experts at Indiana University in Bloomington determined the ball strengthens core muscles and may help people avoid lower back pain because the freedom of movement decreases confined or constrained body postures. Study researcher Kelly Jo Baute also found reaching with the non-dominant hand results in different firing patterns in leg musculature compared with reaching with the dominant hand. Full story.

Faulty body clock genes could cause bipolar disorder in kids
Times of India, Nov. 12 -- Genes behind malfunctioning circadian clock could be responsible for bipolar disorder in children, according to a study. In a collaborative study, researchers found four versions of the regulatory gene RORB that were associated with paediatric bipolar disorder. Alexander Niculescu from Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, US, and others at Harvard, UC San Diego, Massachusetts General Hospital and SUNY Upstate Medical University, studied the RORA and RORB genes of 152 children with the condition and 140 control children. They found four alterations to the RORB gene that were positively associated with being bipolar. "Our findings suggest that clock genes in general and RORB in particular may be important candidates for further investigation in the search for the molecular basis of bipolar disorder," said Niculescu. Full story.

End-of-life talk isn't easy, but it's critical
Indianapolis Star, Nov. 12 -- Many experts would like to see discussions about advanced care planning become a routine part of preventive medicine, along with immunizations and screening tests such as mammograms. "The earlier that one starts to have these conversations, the better," says Dr. Greg Sachs, a professor at the Indiana University School of Medicine and a scientist at the Indiana University Center for Aging Research. "If one waits until one is within days, weeks or months of dying, sometimes that can be too late." Patients with Alzheimer's disease or early dementia may even be able to participate if the conversations occur before they become too incapacitated. For some, embarking on these conversations can be the most difficult part. Full story.

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