Front Page News at Indiana University

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hoosiers for Higher Education Statehouse Visit scheduled Feb. 2
The Cleveland Orchestra postpones IU residency, concert
IU Bloomington task force to recommend improvements in academic advising
IU Optometry's Swanson receives $2.35 million from NIH for glaucoma research
Indiana University to host forum on Haiti earthquake disaster
Minority teen boys smoke more when they perceive discrimination; girls do not
National voices on local, sustainable foods visit IU for free lectures next week
Summer Law Institute launching this summer
Wasp genomes are sequenced, revealing surprises
IU Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection site for Haiti relief items
What to do when children communicate through challenging behaviors
Groundbreaking counter-terrorism simulation documentary involving IU law students premieres Jan. 21
IU Bloomington Scoreboard

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hoosiers for Higher Education Statehouse Visit scheduled Feb. 2 -- Students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of Indiana University from around the state will meet in Indianapolis on Tuesday, Feb. 2, for the 19th annual Hoosiers for Higher Education Statehouse Visit. The program will begin at 1 p.m. in the North Atrium and will feature comments by IU President Michael A. McRobbie and IU students representing student government organizations on several IU campuses. Legislators have also been invited to speak. "The Statehouse Visit provides a great opportunity to remind our representatives of all the great things that Indiana University does for the state of Indiana," said Debbie Lemon, director of Hoosiers for Higher Education. "Given the current budget situation, it's all the more important that friends of IU make face-to-face contact with their legislators." Read the complete story.

The Cleveland Orchestra postpones IU residency, concert -- The Cleveland Orchestra has postponed most of the Indiana University residency scheduled to begin this evening (Jan. 19), which would have culminated in a public concert on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 8:00 p.m. at the IU Auditorium. The concert and many residency activities have been postponed due to a work stoppage by the musicians of the orchestra. While most of the educational activities will not be taking place, the planned IU Philharmonic reading with Music Director Franz Welser-Möst will proceed as scheduled at the Musical Arts Center at 4 p.m. today (Jan. 19), lasting until 6:00 p.m. This event is open and free to the public. Read the complete story.

IU Bloomington task force to recommend improvements in academic advising -- An Indiana University Bloomington task force is taking a comprehensive look at academic advising, seeking ways to improve its effectiveness, better integrate advising into the academic mission of the campus, and create opportunities for professional advancement for advisors. The effort follows from the April 2009 report Enhancing Undergraduate Education at IU Bloomington, which called for improved academic advising along with other changes to improve education for the campus' 32,490 undergraduate students. Read the complete story.

IU Optometry's Swanson receives $2.35 million from NIH for glaucoma research -- An Indiana University School of Optometry researcher's ongoing work to improve testing for and treatment of one of the world's leading causes of blindness will advance with support from a $2.35 million grant from the National Institutes of Health. IU School of Optometry Professor William H. Swanson will lead a research group that will conduct patient studies at optometry clinics in Bloomington, Indianapolis and New York City. Coupled with data from the United Kingdom, Swanson's team will work to improve methods for screening and testing for the presence, progression and pattern of damage due to glaucoma, a disease the National Eye Institute says affects 70 million people worldwide. Read the complete story.

Indiana University to host forum on Haiti earthquake disaster -- In response to the tragedy caused by the catastrophic earthquake that struck Haiti on Jan. 12, the Indiana University campus and Bloomington community will be conducting a series of events to raise both awareness and funds to benefit the people of Haiti. An initial event is scheduled this Thursday to bring together faculty, staff, students, and community members interested in exploring the causes and consequences of this major natural disaster. The campus-community forum and call to action, titled "Decoding Disaster: Understanding the Haiti Earthquake of 2010," will take place Jan. 21 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. in Alumni Hall at Indiana Memorial Union, 900 E. Seventh St. The forum aims to provide information and perspective about historical, political, cultural, environmental, and economic realities in Haiti, both pre- and post-earthquake. Read the complete story.

Minority teen boys smoke more when they perceive discrimination; girls do not -- The perception of discrimination increases the amount teenage minority boys smoke but does not increase the amount teenage minority girls smoke, according to a new study from the Indiana University School of Medicine. This study will be published in the March 2010 issue of the American Journal of Public Health. While the IU researchers found that minority boys smoke more when they perceived discrimination, girls reacted differently. There does not appear to be an association between perceived discrimination and smoking in minority girls, ages 12 to 15. For minority girls ages 16 to 19, perceived discrimination is associated with lower, not higher, rates of smoking. Read the complete story.

National voices on local, sustainable foods visit IU for free lectures next week -- Two of the nation's most passionate voices for sustainable, local food systems will visit Indiana University for free, public speaking appearances next week that are tied to IU's Jan. 22-24 "Bloomington Eats Green" conference. Award-winning author and ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan on Jan. 22 will deliver a message on "Renewing America's Food Traditions," the title of both a book he wrote and a collaborative action network he helped found. Read the complete story.

Summer Law Institute launching this summer -- Law students from around the world will have the opportunity to study American and international legal subjects as part of the IU Maurer School of Law's inaugural Summer Law Institute class. Beginning in early July, the Law School will welcome law students currently enrolled in law programs outside the United States to a five-week program that allows them to earn up to eight course credits, most of which can be transferred to the Maurer School should they matriculate into its Master of Laws degree program. Participants who successfully complete their coursework will earn a Certificate in American and Comparative Law. Read the complete story.

Wasp genomes are sequenced, revealing surprises -- A consortium of more than 100 scientists has completed an analysis of the DNA sequence of three parasitic wasp species, and the project has turned up a few surprises in the process. The genome project, described in this week's issue of Science, was led by University of Rochester and Baylor University scientists, with Indiana University Bloomington biologists providing key genetic findings. "We've gained a better appreciation for the diversity of genes that are found among the insects," said evolutionary biologist John Colbourne, who led IU's contribution. Read the complete story.

IU Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies collection site for Haiti relief items -- Late Tuesday afternoon, Haiti was struck by a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, causing widespread damage and hundreds of thousands of deaths and injuries. The quake was centered about 10 miles west of Port-au-Prince, the capital city. Indiana University's Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (CLACS) has announced that while monetary donations to reputable organizations will be of greatest help during the initial period of trauma relief, CLACS will serve as a collection site for Haiti relief items. The CLACS office, located at 1125 E. Atwater Ave, will be receiving materials to be sent to Haiti during normal business hours (typically 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; call 812-855-9097 to schedule a dropoff time). Read the complete story.

What to do when children communicate through challenging behaviors -- Teachers, parents and caregivers who find themselves puzzled by persistently challenging behaviors of young children may find answers in a newly published book by two Indiana University authors. Kim Davis and Susan Dixon, both of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, suggest that adults shift their perspective to consider the communication value of such behaviors. Their book, When Actions Speak Louder than Words: Understanding the Challenging Behaviors of Young Children and Students with Disabilities, has been published by Solution Tree Press of Bloomington. Read the complete story.

Groundbreaking counter-terrorism simulation documentary involving IU law students premieres Jan. 21 -- Indiana University students are featured in Tough Decisions: Defending the Homeland, a compelling documentary that takes viewers behind the scenes during a groundbreaking simulation of terrorism in Indiana's capital city. Produced in partnership with the IU School of Law-Indianapolis, at Indiana Uninversity-Purdue University Indianapolis, and the IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Tough Decisions, premieres on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. on WFYI 1 (20.1 DT). The documentary chronicles the minute-by-minute response as law and SPEA students role-play government and civilian officials attempting to deal with sometimes faulty or incomplete information in an unfolding terrorist attack. Read the complete story.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indiana University Bloomington Scoreboard

Results from Thursday, Jan. 14:
Women's Basketball: The Indiana women's basketball team held on in the closing minutes for a 62-60 win over Michigan in Assembly Hall. Read the game notes.
Men's Basketball: Michigan broke open a close game late to defeat Indiana, 69-45. Read the game notes.

Results from Saturday, Jan. 16:
Wrestling: The No. 12 Indiana University wrestling team notched it's 10th and 11th dual match wins of the year on Saturday, sweeping the 2010 Indiana Duals. Read the match notes.
Men's Swimming: The Indiana men's swimming and diving team tallied seven second-place finishes on the afternoon but came up short in a dual meet with No. 12 Ohio State, falling 224-74. Read the meet results.
Men's and Women's Track: Indiana dominated from start to finish, beating Purdue on Saturday. The men's team won by a 96-40 score. The women were just as dominant, winning 93-43. Read the meet results.

Results from Sunday, Jan. 17:
Women's Tennis: The Indian University women's tennis team began their 2010 spring season by giving Head Coach Lin Loring the 734th and 735th coaching victories of his career, sweeping Sunday's doubleheader. Read the match notes.
Women's Basketball: Despite three players reaching double-digit points, the Indiana women's basketball team fell at No. 5 Ohio State, 81-64. Read the game notes.
Men's Basketball: Sophomore Verdell Jones III made a 12-foot jumper with 32.8 seconds left in overtime to give Indiana the lead and freshman Christian Watford made two free throws to seal the Hoosiers' 81-78 victory over Minnesota. Read the game notes.

Schedule for Thursday, Jan 21:
Women's Basketball: Northwestern, 7 p.m., Bloomington, Ind.
Men's Basketball: Penn State, 7 p.m., University Park, Pa.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IU in the news

Complex Weight-Loss Plans Erode Dieters' Resolve
MSN Health & Fitness, Jan. 19 -- The more complex a person's diet plan, the sooner the person will abandon it, a new study finds. The finding came from a study of 390 German women who were using one of two diet plans. The simpler plan provided shopping lists for dieters and a meal plan they were to follow. The more complex plan assigned point values to every food and instructed participants to eat only a certain number of points each day. The women completed questionnaires over an eight-week span. "For people on a more complex diet that involves keeping track of quantities and items eaten, their subjective impression of the difficulty of the diet can lead them to give up on it," Peter Todd, a professor in the department of psychological and brain sciences at Indiana University, said in a university news release. Full story.

School of Music students sweep Met Auditions
Indiana Daily Student, Jan. 19 -- Indiana University once again proved it's music program is among the best in the country when three Jacobs School of Music students received honors at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Tri-State Auditions. Laura Wilde, a graduate student and soprano, won the top honor. As the semi-finalist, Wilde received $2,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to New York City in March for the MET National Semifinals, where one-to-two singers from 15 different regions will compete. Full story.

New Technique May Allow Prediction of the Most Accurate Properties of Elements
R&D Magazine, Jan. 17 -- Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Indiana University (IU) have determined the most accurate values ever for a fundamental property of the element lithium using a novel approach that may permit scientists to do the same for other atoms in the periodic table. NIST's James Sims and IU's Stanley Hagstrom have calculated four excitation energies for the lithium atom approximately 100 times more accurately than any previous calculations or experimental measurements. Precise determination of excitation energy -- the amount necessary to raise an atom from a base energy level to the next higher -- has intrinsic value for fundamental research into atomic behavior, but the success of the method the team employed has implications that go beyond lithium alone. Full story.

Rising Costs -- the Real Heartbreak of Psoriasis
MedPage Today, Jan. 19 -- The heartbreak of psoriasis used to be the disease itself. Now it's the skyrocketing cost of treatment. From 2000 through 2008, the cost of brand-name drugs increased 66% on average, according to Vivianne Beyer, MD, and Stephen Wolverton, MD, of the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis (Beyer is currently at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis). The cost of several of the drugs "greatly outpaced" both general inflation and the overall increase in cost of prescription medicines, the researchers reported in the January issue of Archives of Dermatology. Full story.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Traveling to Bloomington? Check the weather in the vicinity by calling Weatherline at 812-334-1515. Or, go to the Bloomington Herald-Times' weather page at: https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/weather/.

For more information on Bloomington, Indiana, where to stay, where to eat and what to do, go to: https://www.visitbloomington.com/.

For more information on Indiana University, to arrange a tour or get a map, go to: https://www.indiana.edu/~iuvis/.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get more news from IU at the following frequently-visited university Web sites:

-- For all news releases from University Communications, go to: https://newsinfo.iu.edu/.

-- Find the Indiana University Gateway page with links to all IU campuses at: https://www.indiana.edu/.

-- To subscribe or unsubscribe to e-newsletters from IU, go to: https://newsinfo.iu.edu/subscribe/.

-- To subscribe to University Communications RSS news feeds, go to: https://newsinfo.iu.edu/web/page/normal/2106.html.

-- For IU Bloomington athletics news, go to: https://iuhoosiers.collegesports.com/.

-- For IUPUI athletics news, go to: https://www.iupuijags.com/.

-- For audio and video clips of IU events, go to: https://broadcast.iu.edu/.

-- For an IU Calendar of Events, go to: https://events.iu.edu/.

-- For faculty and staff news at IU, go to: https://www.homepages.indiana.edu.

-- Find people and e-mail addresses at any IU campus at: https://www.iub.edu/people/address.shtml