Daily IU News Update
January 07, 2008
Dozens of Hoosiers stuck in Kenya
E-mails from local school, community leaders indicate the group is safe from tribal violence
Indianapolis Star, Jan. 3 -- At least 30 Central Indiana residents -- including school superintendents and community leaders -- are among the Americans trapped in Kenya, where violence and tribal gang warfare have killed more than 300 since last week's disputed presidential election. "I took heart in an ER this morning when I no longer needed to step over a body," wrote Indiana University's Dr. Joe Mamlin, who works at Moi University School of Medicine in the western Kenyan city of Eldoret, where about 50 people were burned alive Tuesday inside a church where they had sought shelter. Full story. Full story 2.
Indiana University holds prayer service for Kenya
13 Eyewitness News, Jan. 7 -- A prayer service for those stuck in the middle of violence in Kenya was held downtown Sunday. Among those trapped in the country -- Hoosiers and staffers with Indiana University. Inside a church on the near northside of Indianapolis the concerns of the country are prayed for. Full story. Full story 2.
Talking turkey: IU doctors debunk medical myths
Bloomington Herald-Times, Jan. 7 -- Doctors Aaron Carroll and Rachel Vreeman spend a lot of their time as health services researchers teaching students how to read and interpret medical literature. It can all be pretty dry and technical, even for people studying and practicing medicine. It can be demanding as well, keeping up on the latest and most critical, cutting-edge research. Full story.
'Dim light ruins eyesight' and other medical myths
New research sheds some light on common beliefs and practices
msnbc.com, Jan. 2 -- Turkey makes you drowsy. Dim light ruins your eyes. Drink at last eight glasses of water a day. These are some of the medical myths that even doctors believe, reports the British Medical Journal. Full story.
IU expert urges world to pressure Pakistan
In wake of Bhutto's death, future of volatile nation could depend on integrity of elections
Bloomington Herald-Times, Jan. 6 -- The international community needs to send in observers to scrutinize the upcoming elections in Pakistan, a country gripped by political turmoil following Benazir Bhutto's assassination last month. That's the opinion of IU's Sumit Ganguly, a local political expert, who said foreign help is absolutely vital for the Feb. 18 elections, which will shape the future of the country and extend well beyond its borders. Full story.
India-born professor nominated to U.S. National Council on Humanities
The Hindu, Jan. 3 -- U.S. President George W Bush has nominated Mumbai-born Jamsheed K Choksy, a professor at Indiana University, to be a member of the prestigious National Council on the Humanities for a six year period beginning January 27. Full story.
While you were gone… A summary of what happened during IU's semester break
Indiana Daily Student, Jan. 7 -- IU implements new text messaging alert service. About 2,600 students registered for the IU text messaging component of the IU-Notify emergency notification service, which became available in early December. Mark S. Bruhn, associate vice president for information and infrastructure assurance, said cell phones are the fastest way for IU to notify students in an emergency. Students who sign up for the service will be able to receive any critical notifications from IU through text messages. Full story.
Don't let greediness ruin IU basketball
Opinion
Indianapolis Star, Jan. 5 -- I understand there are more important things to worry about than Indiana University basketball, if you're not a Hoosier. I find it very hard to digest that many fans missed the Big Ten opener. I know I could have watched the powerhouses of Penn State and Northwestern on ESPN2, but what about the lesser (sarcasm) teams like IU, Michigan State, Ohio State? I cannot imagine what would have been of IU basketball if Isiah Thomas, Damon Bailey and Calbert Cheney had only been able to be watched by a few. Full story.
Take closer look at university funding
Opinion
Indianapolis Star, Jan. 6 -- If our political leaders in Indiana are serious about cutting taxes and expenses, they should look at how our tax dollars are used in funding state universities. The salaries of university presidents and department heads have been founded on our tax dollars. Full story.
IU professor likely died from natural causes
Bloomington Herald-Times, Jan. 7 -- An Indiana University professor who was found dead Saturday night most likely died from natural causes. J. Michael Walker, 57, was pronounced dead in his apartment shortly after 11 p.m. Saturday. Full story.
The Tenth Annual Airball Awards
A Celebration of Indiana's cretins, crooks, and crybabies
Indianapolis Monthly, Jan. 2008 -- What a year 2007 was for being stupid. The last 12 months gave us voter shut-outs, police-officer joy rides, and stolen false teeth. Those who organized the Indy Classic Marathon weren't in it for the long run, and the folks renovating the Central Library needed to read a few books on keeping a budget. But of all the wiffs, no one made more bad calls this year than IU basketball coach Kelvin Sampson. Full article.
Employers Promise to Incorporate INShape Indiana
InsideINdianaBusiness.com, Jan. 4 -- Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels says that more than a dozen companies have agreed to participate in company wellness programs that incorporate INShape Indiana. The companies are being led by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Indiana. Kroger Co. will also put fitness kiosks in its stores to help both employees and customers. The participating employers represent more than 120,000 employees around the state. Other employers who have signed up so far to participate in the wellness effort are Ball State University, Cummins, Dow Agra Services, GM Chrysler, Indiana University, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Marsh, Mays Chemical Company, Monarch Beverage, Purdue University, Red Gold, State of Indiana, University of Southern Indiana and Zimmer. Full story.
Purdue Purchases Text Messaging Service
InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report, Jan. 7 -- Purdue University has bought a text messaging service to provide emergency notification. 2SMS Business Text Messaging will provide the service through the spring semester. Officials hope to have a longer-term agreement in place by the end of the semester. Full story.
Educational Excellence, Without Ivy
State universities react to our report on Ivy League wealth—and its perils
Business Week, Nov. 29 -- It's only fitting that Whitman College, Princeton's new student residence, is named for eBay (EBAY) CEO Meg Whitman, because it's a billionaire's mansion in the form of a dorm. After Whitman (Class of '77) pledged $30 million, administrators tore up their budget and gave architect Demetri Porphyrios virtual carte blanche. Each student room has triple-glazed mahogany casement windows made of leaded glass. The dining hall boasts a 35-foot ceiling gabled in oak and a "state of the art servery." By the time the 10-building complex in the Collegiate Gothic style opened in August, it had cost Princeton $136 million, or $272,000 for each of the 500 undergraduates who will live there. Full story.
Spinal-injury device faces twists, turns to approval
Indianapolis Star, Jan. 7 -- For victims of spinal-cord injuries, any significant recovery of sensation or movement can make a huge difference. A person who regains mobility in a few fingers may be able to use a fork or operate a computer mouse. Increased sensation also may help a person avoid injuries, because he or she can sense pain. In some cases, enough sensation returns to restore sexual function. Dr. Scott Shapiro, a professor of neurological surgery at Indiana University, said he has seen those sorts of results from his research of a medical device called the Andara OFS System. Full story.
Newest IU parking garage open
Bloomington Herald-Times, Jan. 7 -- The new Henderson Street parking garage off Atwater Avenue opens today — just in time for the start of spring semester classes at Indiana University. IU parking manager Doug Porter expects the biggest rush today between 8 and 9 a.m., but the garage will be ready whenever the first car pulls in. Porter said the new garage will be the first on campus to have security cameras, with 12 to 15 installed in various places. It will also be the first of the five campus garages to accept credit cards, though that payment option probably won't be available today. Full story.
Letters to the Editor; Actions cancel one another
Bloomington Herald-Times, Jan. 7 -- This writer expresses his concern about children's health care and IU no-smoking policies. Full story.
From the Chronicle
Controversy Surrounds NCAA's Certification of International Athletes
When the National Collegiate Athletic Association announced in 2007 that it would regulate the eligibility of international players, taking the responsibility away from colleges, many people welcomed the news. The change promised a level playing field in college sports, one that did not exist in the past because some Division I institutions admitted foreign athletes with professional experience, something the NCAA does not allow. Full story.
Presidents of Liberal-Arts Colleges Discuss Dealing With Disasters and Other Topics at Annual Meeting
Sal D. Rinella knows a thing or two about planning for campus disasters. As a consultant for Stratus, a strategic-planning firm, he helps colleges handle pressing issues—and disasters have been among the heaviest these days. But his experience is personal, too. He was president of Austin Peay State University in 1999, when the Tennessee college was struck by a tornado that closed four buildings and damaged many more. Full story.
Economists Call for Rethinking of Core Course Work for Ph.D.'s in the Discipline
Doctoral programs in economics should radically redesign the grueling first-year course work known as "the core," several prominent scholars said on Friday during a panel here at the annual meeting of the American Economic Association. Many elements of the core were set in stone shortly after World War II, and the courses have not always evolved to make room for emerging fields of study, the scholars said. They also complained that the courses tend to emphasize the abstract manipulation of equations, with little sustained attention given to real-world problems and data. Full story.
Legal Educators Respond to Proposed Curriculum Changes With Enthusiasm and Skepticism
An overflow crowd of legal educators packed a hotel ballroom and balcony on Friday to listen to speakers voice both support and skepticism for a call to overhaul the way lawyers are educated. Full story.
Kenyan Higher Education Comes to a Halt as Post-Election Violence Continues
Universities in Kenya have postponed their opening dates for fear that students and academic staff might be caught up in the violence that has hit the country following opposition leaders' claims that last month's presidential elections were rigged. Full story.
Daily IU News Update 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 IU Office of University Communications, the Daily IU News Update is not an all-inclusive gathering of news featuring IU faculty and staff. To subscribe to the Daily IU News Update list or to have your name removed, please contact Susan Williams, Office of University Communications, sulwilli@indiana.edu.
