December 2005

Newspapers have set precedents and codes of operation – not only ethics, but modes of presentation, story choice and coverage. It is a consistency missing from many other media. It is for that reason that the public should continue to consider newspapers a viable source on civic issues. Newspapers tell the story. Lots of story, sometimes, and occasionally even the whole hog. Without them, the public would perhaps be forced to frame issues, research sources and gather from all information sources themselves. And God knows that is a dangerous proposition.  (By) Jenni Easton, the editor in chief of The Penn at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, "Telling the Whole Story," The New York Times (College Special), December 2005

Another important change in the county during the summer was the opening of the new Indiana University of Pennsylvania campus at Northpointe. The school had spent the past 43 years educating students at its campus in Kittanning, but made the change to the new business park, in part, to focus on the needs of the highly-technical businesses surrounding it. Kittanning Leader-Times, Dec. 30, 2005

"If every person in America has a bugaboo they are going to lash out at, what will happen to civilization?" asked Beverly Goodwin, professor of psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Some etiquette professionals cringe at the book. "I think it is a childish book," says Cynthia Lett, chief executive officer of the Lett Group, a Silver Spring, Md., etiquette consulting group. "What a shame they have so much time on their life to waste it on this." Urbina, who says his book is not a how-to guide but an anthology, has heard the complaint before. He has been told that the angry people in the book should just get over their petty complaints and start meditating. "How to get back at rude and annoying people," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dec. 28, 2005 (also carried on Scripps-Howard News Service)

Indiana County Wednesday came a step closer to completing the groundwork for two key Indiana area building projects. At their business meeting, the county commissioners accepted a $405,000 check from Congressman Bill Shuster, representing an additional federal allocation toward costs involved in developing Indiana University of Pennsylvania's proposed $38 million Regional Development Center and Sports Complex. The multi-use facility, which will benefit both the university and the community, is to be located on what is now the Kovalchick salvage yard along Indiana's Wayne Avenue. "Commissioners closer to two key building projects," Blairsville Dispatch, Dec. 23, 2005

The Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing has approved Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s program that allows licensed practical nurses to return and obtain their bachelor of science in nursing through a structured program. Michele Gerwick, department chair of IUP’s nursing and allied health professions department, is confident the program will attract prospective nurses. “We must start recruiting for LPNs,” Gerwick says. “We originally thought there would only be about 10 students, but now we think there will be many more.” The program received approval last month following a proposal developed by the IUP Nursing Department’s curriculum committee. The state board of nursing regulates all nursing programs at IUP. "New IUP nursing program earns approval," Kittanning Leader-Times, Dec. 19, 2005

Holly Boda-Sutton, an associate professor of dance at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said television shows like "Dancing with the Stars" also help promote dancing, even among teenage boys. "Right now, we have people who are making an impact," Boda-Sutton said. "It doesn't matter if you're a boxer or an actor. Learning to do ballroom dancing is really sophisticated." It's unknown exactly how many public schools in Pennsylvania teach dance, according to state dance experts. "Dancing in gym class can ease pre-prom nerves," Bloomsburg Press Enterprise, Dec. 18, 2005

Indiana University of Pennsylvania and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties will honor State Representative Dan Surra, D-Elk/Clearfield as Legislative Fellow today with a luncheon at the Indiana campus. "I was very gratified they chose me,” Surra said. “It's a very prestigious offering.” The role of Legislative Fellow, Surra said, will include speaking to classes and groups of students in the coming year. “I'm really looking forward to it,” Surra said. Surra, a former school teacher, said he feels comfortable with the opportunities the honor presents. Surra said he is proud to support higher education, particularly the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, of which IUP is a part. He said as a legislator he has fought to fund the schools within the system as they offers the students of his district the option of an affordable education. Surra, according to an IUP web site, is the eighth IUP Legislative Fellow. "College Faculty Honors Surra," Ridgway Record, Dec. 16, 2005

A 6 1/2-acre Indiana complex housing everything from college basketball games and symphony concerts to a high-tech business training center and a Homeland Security office could be ready for use as early as 2008. That projected timeline, beginning with ground-breaking along Wayne Avenue in mid-2007, became a stronger possibility last Friday. Project plans were bolstered by a report that state officials have reached an agreement to purchase a total of 34 acres from Kovalchick Salvage for Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Regional Development Center and Sports Complex. Dr. Tony Atwater, president of the state-owned university, indicated the agreement will allow IUP to forge ahead with a campaign to raise half of the complex's proposed $38 million price. "We have raised $4 million in private support prior to the agreement of sale, and we look forward to joining our regional partners in generating the essential funding to launch this project," Atwater said. Atwater suggested the RDC-SC complex will serve as a "spark plug to a renaissance economically and culturally in the Indiana region." He noted Indiana County has begun to transition from a past centered on a now-diminished coal mining industry to a future with a broader economic base. In that process, "The RDC is the missing link," he said. "It's going to attract a great variety of business to the region." "Land deal reached for regional center," Blairsville Dispatch, Dec. 9, 2005

There is no question that higher education has tremendous potential in helping Pennsylvania grow its economy. But a question that does exist is, what can the commonwealth do to harness all that potential and put it into play as the state more and more seeks to sell its products on a global economy? ... Fortunately for our region, we have a wealth of institutions of higher learning, and just as fortunate, all are very much aware of the important role they play in helping make our economy even stronger. Among those schools are the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, St. Francis University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Mount Aloysius College and Pennsylvania Highlands Community College. Lost sometimes, too, is the economic boost colleges and universities provide a region just by the number of people they employ. In some communities, they are the largest employer. In our region, IUP has 1,600 full- and part-time workers; St. Francis, 400 full-time; UPJ, 380 full-time; Mount Aloysius, 170 full-time workers and 150 adjunct faculty members; and Penn Highlands, 71 full-time employees. With 250 four- and two-year institutions, our state has a lot of help available. It would seem there is a lot to be done. Fortunately, area leaders in academia seem ready for the challenge. "Tapping into academia: Colleges can help grow state’s economy," Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Dec. 6, 2005

An advocacy group plans to survey Pennsylvania senior citizens to document what it says is widespread confusion over the Medicare program's new prescription-drug benefit. The Pennsylvania Alliance for Retired Americans says there are 52 private, stand-alone drug plans for the state's 2 million Medicare beneficiaries, and that confusion over the Medicare coverage that begins next year is rampant. "We are being swamped with calls from seniors who are bewildered and terribly confused about the new (Medicare) Part D drug plans," said Marty Berger, the group's president. "There are too many choices to pick from and this has caused great confusion." In the Medicare Education Project, researchers will monitor the experiences of selected senior citizens in seven categories of prescription-drug coverage, including those who have no coverage at all and those covered by employer or union plans. They hope to identify at least two seniors in each category in each of eight geographical regions, said spokeswoman Danielle Pere. The survey will continue throughout 2006, with a midterm report planned in August and a final report in January 2007, Pere said. The $7,500 project is being financed by the Pennsylvania Labor Education Center at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and by the State System of Higher Education. Associated Press, Dec. 6, 2005

Tony Atwater is establishing a stronger rapport with students. The Indiana University of Pennsylvania president said building stronger relationships with students is a high priority. In an exclusive interview with The Tribune-Democrat, Atwater said he meets with student leaders monthly as part of the President’s Student Advisory Network he created this year. IUP spokeswoman Michelle Fryling said Atwater created the student network to build stronger communication between students and the administration. “Dr. Atwater has really taken great strides and has shown great initiatives with reaching out to students,” she said. Atwater, a former administrator at Youngstown State University in Ohio, was appointed to the position in February. Atwater recently assembled a Commission on Substance Abuse to promote awareness of substance-related issues on campus and to curb the incidence of underage drinking among IUP students. The commission, made up of administrators, faculty members, students and community leaders, will research programs from other universities that have cut down on alcohol consumption and alcohol-related problems. "President Plans for IUP Future," Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Dec. 4, 2005
 

Twenty-five years after police chief Gregory Patrick Adams was shot to death, investigators want to see if a DNA test can help pinpoint the location of his alleged killer. ... All of that may have caused an early death for Webb, points out Indiana University of Pennsylvania criminologist Dennis Giever. "Any time in prison is hard time. It cuts down on life expectancy," he said. "Maybe the Mafia wanted to clean its own mess. It's easy to dispose of a body. The ocean is large and there are a lot of buildings with concrete and it would be a couple of a hundred years before someone found a body," Giever said. "A Frustrating Search," Valley News Dispatch, Dec. 4, 2005

Drinking and illegal drugs are nothing new for students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania or most other college campuses. But a series of drinking-related events in the past several months, including a student's fatal overdose, a suicide after a fraternity mixer, the arrests of some of the college's basketball players and the suspension of the cheerleading squad, prompted IUP President Tony Atwater to take action. In August, the university imposed tougher sanctions for students arrested for alcohol and drug offenses on or off campus, including a year's suspension for those caught providing alcohol to minors. The sanctions are imposed regardless of whether a student is convicted of an offense. Last month, Dr. Atwater established a panel to look at how the university and the county seat in which it is situated could reduce substance abuse among IUP students. Called the IUP Commission on Substance Abuse, the panel includes representatives of the college administration, students and the borough. The commission, which met for the first time Friday, also counts Indiana Mayor George Hood and police Chief William Sutton among its nearly 50 members. "IUP gets tougher on drinks, drugs in wake of deaths," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dec. 4, 2005

Since taking over as president at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in February, Tony Atwater has made a commitment to curbing substance abuse on campus. Among those efforts is the formation of the IUP Commission on Substance Abuse, which had its first meeting Friday in Folger Hall at the 14,000-student campus in Indiana County. Atwater thinks the substance abuse commission can make a difference. "We will not eliminate substance abuse at IUP, that's not a reasonable goal or objective to achieve," Atwater said. "But we can reduce the incidents, we can create awareness of consequences of substance abuse, and we can educate our student body." IUP substance abuse council meets," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Dec. 3, 2005

Pleasant Hills Middle School soon will be $20,000 richer in software and technology, thanks to one of its teachers. Jennifer Cramer, who teaches seventh-grade science, submitted one of 101 winning essays nationwide in the second annual Hope for Education contests. Cramer said that, because she worked at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's College of Education as an instructional designer and multimedia specialist before the middle school, she understood the need for technology at both levels. "Teacher's essay wins technology for Pleasant Hills Middle School," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Dec. 1, 2005

November 2005

The World Bank, the United Nations and the African Virtual University have teamed up to support distance learning using the Internet at six institutions in Somalia. Professor Stanford Mukasa speaking via satellite link to his journalism students in Hergeisa University and the University of Puntland 3,000 kilometers away in Somalia, during the launch of the Somali online distance learning initiative in Nairobi. The African Virtual University is developing learning material and making it available through interactive teaching to Somali students using the Internet.  Additional material such as audio and videotapes are later shipped to the students by the U.N. Development Program (UNDP). Some of the foreign universities involved in this program include Indiana University of Pennsylvania and New Jersey Institute of Technology in the United States. Voice of America, Nov. 30, 2005

It used to be that dalliances with Mrs. Robinson-types seemed like young male fantasies reserved for celluloid. Only Anne Bancroft in "The Graduate" could pull off the older woman as secret seductress. Not so in 2005. Still, Jamie Martin, an Indiana University of Pennsylvania criminologist, said current laws may not be applied equally for men and women. If Lafave had been convicted of lewd and lascivious behavior at trial, she could have faced 30 years in prison; instead she pleaded guilty last week and was given three years of house arrest and seven years of probation. "I was stunned by that," Martin said. Martin said there was no evidence to suggest that boys suffered less emotional trauma following a sexual, albeit consensual, assault. "Female sex offenders are rare, but get the spotlight," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Nov. 30, 2005

These are very questions that the Pluralism Project that Diana Eck started at Harvard University has been asking since 1991. Of course, like Ziegenhorn, Eck and others at Pluralism Project believe in multi-ethnic and multi-religious America. Meanwhile, Pluralism Project whose affiliates continually study the changing religious landscape in America has put together an exhibit, 'Eastern Religions Come to Western Pennsylvania.' This exhibit, the work of the project's Stuart Chandler, is expected to travel to other museums after being shown in the University Museum of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. It focuses on the Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, and Sikh traditions, especially their practice in the Pittsburgh region. Included in the show are more than one hundred photographs, according to the project's press release, examples of Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist altars, and artwork by such artists as Arpana Caur, the Singh sisters, and Kaz Tanahashi. Rediff.com, Nov. 29, 2005

Unlike some highly successful business owners, Sam Stoltzfus always plays it safe. About a decade ago, Stoltzfus, president of Keystone Wood Specialties in East Lampeter Township, decided to prioritize safety and adopt measures that raised the bar on safety in the woodworking industry. As a result, Occupational Hazards Magazine has named Keystone to its list of America's Safest Companies of 2005, a list that totals a dozen. Keystone voluntarily partnered with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Onsite Consultation program, which helped it achieve accolades from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When OSHA accepted it into its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program in the fall of 2003, Keystone became only the 13th Pennsylvania company — out of 250,000 eligible employers — to be recognized with that honor. "Excelling at safety: Keystone Wood Specialties is among a dozen companies named safest in 2005," Lancaster Intelligencer Journal, Nov. 28, 2005

Marie Elizabeth Gilson Mitchell painted what was familiar to her --- the streets of Latrobe, the mountains of the Laurel Highlands and scenes from her garden. A collection of the work of Marie Mitchell, who died in 1999 at the age of 89, will be featured in a retrospective show at Mickinak's Antique and Auction Gallery in Greensburg. The show opens on Dec. 1 with a reception to benefit the Westmoreland County Food Bank, and runs through the end of December. "She is going to get the recognition that she deserves for her talent," said gallery owner John Mickinak. "And the community will get to see the work of a local artist that they may not have seen before." Marie Mitchell, a life-long resident of Latrobe, had a degree in art education from Indiana State Teachers College, now Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She was married to Dr. Alvin Mitchell, a local podiatrist, and belonged to the Greensburg Art Club and the Latrobe Art Club, where she was president for a number of years. "Art show to feature local artist," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Nov. 27, 2005

Albert Wutsch likes to hunt as much as the next guy, and he's killed his share of deer, elk and the like. But when you're a certified executive chef, you're the natural choice to be camp cook, too. Wutsch knows all about that. Director of Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Academy of Culinary Arts, his ability to handle wild game has gotten him recruited to cook for outfitters, made him popular as a seminar speaker, and turned him into the cooking columnist for North American Hunting magazine. He doesn't minimize his knowledge of what to do in the kitchen or over a campfire, but he also says any hunter has what it takers to turn his deer into a tasty meal, provided they keep a couple of things in mind. "It's not rocket science. You don't have to be a gourmet chef to make venison taste good," Wutsch said. The first step to winding up with tasty venison is to get your deer dressed, cleaned and delivered to the butcher as quickly as possible, he said. And you want to keep the carcass cool at all times. Wutsch has authored two books on wild game cooking. One, The Art of Cooking Venison, identifies the various cuts of meat, explains different cooking techniques, provides recipes, and more. The other, The Art of Barbecuing and Grilling Game, includes recipes for venison, goose, and other species. "From kill to table, handle venison properly," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Nov. 27, 2005

Blairsville-Saltsburg School Board is entering into a new dual enrollment program with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Approved at Monday's school board meeting, the program will allow up to six juniors or seniors from the district to attend afternoon classes at the local university, earning college credit in the process. District Superintendent Dr. H. Robert Mencer said students who qualify, based on their grade point average, school attendance record and commitment to completing course requirements, could sign up for entry level college courses in such subjects as English, economics, writing and art or music appreciation. The classes would begin in January. Costs for the courses and required textbooks would be covered by a $6,600 grant received by the district and two scholarships to be awarded by IUP. Students and their families would be responsible for arranging their own transportation to the Indiana campus. "Program allows students to take college classes," Blairsville Dispatch, Nov. 25, 2005

It's definitely much healthier to eat wild turkey,” said Chef Albert Wutsch, director of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts. “Wild turkeys aren't given dietary supplements or bred for a specific color and flavor.” Just as there are genetic differences between wild turkeys and the tamed variety, there also are differences in the way they are cooked and prepared. "Wild Turkey or Domestic?" Central Kentucky News-Journal, Nov. 23, 2005

For Barry Rhoads — the sought-after, energetic CEO of the Rhoads Group — Thanksgiving and hunting season are a welcome respite from a tumultuous summer and a hectic congressional fall schedule. When the spotlight shone on the junior senator from South Dakota, GOP darling John Thune (R), this summer as he fought to keep Ellsworth Air Force Base off the Pentagon’s chopping block, Rhoads’s name could not escape the notice of those who had all eyes turned to the fight. Rhoads, who turns 50 today, is the only member of his family to go to college, where he joined the Army ROTC at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. After completing law school at the University of Pittsburgh, Rhoads was commissioned at Fort Knox for four years. That is where in 1981 a Reserve judge at the Justice Department saw Rhoads try a case in front of him and lured him to work at the department in Washington, D.C., The Hill (newspaper for and about the U.S. Congress), Nov. 22, 2005

“I shut my eyes in order to see.” French post-impressionist painter Paul Gauguin said that more than a century ago. Local potter Marcia Springston sees without her eyes every day. Despite Springston’s blindness, her pottery and sculpture are pleasing to both sight and touch. Her work has been sold and exhibited throughout the United States and Canada. And although art lovers have the luxury of looking upon her pots and sculptures with their eyes, Springston has only felt them. She depends on her sense of touch to create what she envisions. Springston’s first exposure to pottery came in a high school independent study course, but she never considered it as a possible profession. In fact, she majored in special education and social psychology when she attended Hiram College and the University of Akron. But in graduate school at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where she intended to get a graduate degree in adapted physical education to help children with special needs enjoy sports and recreation, her job as a tour guide in an art museum set her on a new path. Springston began taking night classes in pottery, and she eventually changed her graduate major to ceramics and sculpture. "Sculpting Beauty: Lack of eyesight doesn’t stop Summers County potter," The Register-Herald (Beckley, WVa.), Nov. 19, 2005

To the larger public, Msgr. Charles Owen Rice, a founding member of the Association of Catholic Trade Unionists, was best known as an outspoken ally of labor unions and their members. "He saw it as a holy cause. He really did," said Charles McCollester, a professor of industrial and labor relations at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and long-time friend of Msgr. Rice. "Pittsburgh's 'Labor Priest' laid to rest: Mgsr. Charles Owen Rice remembered for his advocacy," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 19, 2005

Mary Jane Kuffner Hirt, a political science professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, called Mr. Murtha's actions this week courageous. "He has made public service his career, his passion," she said. Though the congressman may risk losing support of some people by changing his mind and speaking out against the war, Professor Hirt doubts it will be much. "I don't think he's going to turn many of his constituents off or many of his colleagues off by what he said," she said. "I think he's studied the situation and his conscience is telling him there's something terribly wrong." “Johnstown stands behind Murtha in wake of his call for Iraq exit,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 19, 2005

SCOTT BAKER, ANCHOR:  On to our top story here on the six o’clock broadcast, you have the Indians, the Warriors, the Seminoles, the Cherokees, the list goes on and on.  SALLY WIGGIN, ANCHOR:  They’re all mascots used by schools across the country, but one local college that has come under fire for its use of a Native American mascot is fighting back in the face of controversy.  Channel Four Action News reporter Sheldon Ingram is live to explain.  Sheldon. SHELDON INGRAM, REPORTER:  Well Sally the school we’re talking about is Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and they knew the NCAA would rule on their mascot name.  They asked for a definitive answer and IUP got what it asked for.  The NCAA this afternoon handed down a decision, a sanction in fact, saying that they could no longer use the name Indians.  Now you’re looking at a picture of a bear, which is the mascot, but they also go by the name of Indians.  Now, IUP says it has several options:  Number one, get rid of the name; or they could abide by the sanction and not host any post season games for any of their sports.  Now here’s what the NCAA said this afternoon, and I quote, “In American culture, the term Indians has traditionally invoked Native Americans.  The staff believes even in the absence of specific imagery, the term would be construed as a stereotypical reference to Native Americans.  And now here’s the response from IUP’s president. DR. TONY ATWATER, IUP PRESIDENT:  Indiana literally means “land of the Indians” and there’s historical roots, Native Americans, in the region; and there’s been a long standing history of the use of the name Indians, in both our high schools, athletic programs, as well as the university’s programs. SHELDON INGRAM:  Now IUP says it could also appeal this sanction from the NCAA, that’s one of the options.  If they decide to get rid of the name Indians, they say it could cost the university a lot of money, changing the letterhead, the colors, and all the imagery in the university to get a new mascot and a new name.  Reporting live, Sheldon Ingram, Channel Four Action News. SCOTT BAKER:  Alright Sheldon, well what do you think.  Should colleges and universities be allowed to use Native American nicknames for sports teams?  Let us know how you feel by logging onto our website, the Pittsburgh Channel, you can take our poll, it’s on the Action Sports Page. WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh), Nov. 18, 2005, 6 p.m. newscast

 MIKE CLARK, ANCHOR:  Today the NCAA turned down Indiana University 

of Pennsylvania’s appeal to be allowed to continue using its nickname 

“the Indians” as, at post-season tournaments.  While continuing to use 

the Indians nickname fourteen years ago, IUP changed its actual mascot 

to a bear.  The NCAA says the nickname is stereotyping as well as hostile 

or abusive to American Indians.  IUP’s president disagrees. 

DR. TONY ATWATER, IUP PRESIDENT:  Indiana literally means 

“land of the Indians” and also that there’s historical roots, Native Americans 

in the region; and there’s been a long standing history of the use of the 

name Indians in both our high schools, athletic programs, as well as 

the university’s programs. MIKE CLARK:  What’s the university going to do?  

Well IUP has a few options.  The university can either get rid of 

the name completely, choose not to host any post-season games 

for any of their sports, or appeal this decision by February. 

WTAE-TV (Pittsburgh), Nov. 18, 2005, 11 p.m. newscast

 KIM GABLE, ANCHOR:  The NCAA says no to Indiana University of 

Pennsylvania’s request to keep its nickname during post-season play. 

Organization says IUP’s nickname “The Indians” could be considered 

a stereotype toward Native Americans.  The NCAA has banned the 

university and eighteen other schools from using American Indian 

mascots or nicknames during post-season tournaments. 

WPGH-TV (Pittsburgh), Nov. 18, 2005

 DAVID JOHNSON, ANCHOR:  The NCAA doesn’t want you to cheer on 

the IUP Indians.  Colleges’ ruling body says the nickname must go, saying 

it is too offensive to some.  Channel Eleven News reporter Gordon Loesch 

is live now with reaction and what’s next for the school now.  

Gordon, good evening. GORDON LOESCH, REPORTER:  Good evening 

David.  The university really doesn’t have much of a choice in this decision 

anymore.  They can keep the name if they want to, but that would mean 

missing out on some big opportunities through the NCAA.  It’s the name 

of their school, their borough, and their county.  The word Indiana 

meaning “land of Indians,” but soon Indian may no longer be the nickname.  

Here at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. EMMA ZITALONE, SOPHMORE: 

I don’t think it’s necessary to have to change the name. GORDON LOESCH: 

The IUP athletic teams are known as the Indians, but the school got rid of 

that mascot back in 1991.  In 1999, the school adopted the bear as a logo 

and kept the Indian nickname.  But in August, the NCAA told schools across

 the country they would have to drop their Indian nicknames in order to play 

host to post-season games.  IUP has just found out they lost their appeal. 

TONY ATWATER, IUP PRESIDENT:  This definitive ruling certainly puts us 

into a situation where we have to look at a number of options in the interest 

of the university and the students. GORDON LOESCH:  At the college store, 

just off campus, the owner doesn’t sell any IUP branded items with a logo 

on them or the word Indians, because this issue has been so up in the air. 

Students have a mixed reaction. UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT:  I think it’s 

for the best.  We have to be politically correct. UNIDENTIFIED STUDENT:  

I kind of find it odd, because we’re called Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 

and you’d think we’d be the Indians. JON SABO, STUDENT:   I think it should 

stay with the Indians, if that’s what it’s always been, that’s how it should 

stay. GORDON LOESCH:  Well the NCAA requires a change by January 

thirty-first.  The IUP president says they still have not made a decision 
on whether or not they may appeal again.  Reporting live, Gordon Loesch, 

Channel Eleven News. DAVID JOHNSON:  Thank you Gordon.  

The NCAA went after eighteen schools with nicknames considered hostile 

and abusive to Native Americans.  Four schools appealed and won the 
right to keep their nicknames including:  The Florida State Seminoles, 

Utah Ute’s, Illinois Illioni, and the Central Michigan Chippewas.  Three schools

appealed and lost including:  North Dakota Fighting Sioux, Bradley Braves, 

and Newbury College Indians. WPXI-TV (Pittsburgh), Nov. 18, 2005

 PATRICE KING BROWN, ANCHOR:  You have the Atlanta Braves, 

you also have the Kansas City Chiefs, also the Washington Redskins, 

all references to Native Americans; but are they insensitive?  Well 

tonight, Indiana University of Pennsylvania is considering giving up 

Indian nickname for its sports teams, or else the school will not be 

able to host any playoff games.  David Highfield is live with this new 

at eleven. David, what’s going on? DAVID HIGHFIELD, REPORTER:  

Well Patrice, I’ll tell you, the NCAA is getting tough with this.  

IUP challenged the original decision and found out just today that it lost 

its appeal, so tonight IUP’s president tells me the school needs to consider 

all of its options including the possibility of changing the nickname.  It’s 

tradition.  Since 1928, when IUP sports teams play, they’ve been called the 

Indians, after all, the school is located in Indiana, Indiana County, and 

called Indiana University of Pennsylvania; but the NCAA tells IUP’s president 

that’s not a good enough reason to keep the nickname. TONY ATWATER, IUP 

PRESIDENT:  They continue to consider the name Indians to be one that’s 

offensive to Native Americans.  DAVID HIGHFIELD:  Fourteen years ago, 

the school eliminated its Indian mascot, in favor of a bear named Cherokee; 

and now the president says it’s possible the nickname will have to go too.  

Is it being discussed or even thought about, hey maybe we do lose the Indian 

nickname. TONY ATWATER:  Well I think, all of the options are on the table 

as far as I’m concerned. DAVID HIGHFIELD:  Most people I talked to didn’t 

think the nickname was a big deal. ED LYNESS, UPPER ST. CLAIR:  Oh I 

never thought about the Indians being related to the American Natives.  

It never dawned on me. TOSHA JOHNSON, SHERADEN:  I’ve never seen a 

problem with it. DAVID HIGHFIELD:  You don’t think it’s offensive? TOSHA 

JOHNSON:  No, I don’t.  I mean, if that’s the case, then, what about the 

professional teams that have Indian in the name.  They’re going to cut that 

out as well? DAVID HIGHFIELD:  Exactly what Dan Seltzer says should 

happen. DAN SELTZER, RESIDENT:  Yes, I agree.  Perhaps it’s time we 

picked some new names. DAVID HIGHFIELD:  Well IUP’s president tells me 

he sees valid points on both sides of this issue.  The university does have 

another chance to appeal.  We’re live tonight, David Highfield, KDKA TV News. 

KDKA-TV (Pittsburgh), Nov. 18, 2005

He was the most important Catholic social activist in 20th-century Pittsburgh," Charles McCollester, a labor relations professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, said in 2004, at the reception honoring the 70th anniversary of Msgr. Rice's ordination. Dr. McCollester was editor of "Fighter With a Heart," a collection of Msgr. Rice's writings. " 'Labor Priest' Msgr. Rice dies at 96," Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Nov. 14, 2005

Dodgeball, basketball and volleyball have disappeared from Mark Gartner's gym class at Hampton Middle School. Instead, students climb ropes, lift dumbbells and run laps around the gym -- all with heart rate monitors. Hampton has largely scrapped the traditional fare of gym class in favor of more individual fitness. Schools across the state are making similar changes -- about half of rural districts and more than half in heavily populated areas such as Allegheny County, according to Dave Lorenzi, an assistant professor of health physical education and sports at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Even districts that have not done anything with these new programs are at least thinking about it," Lorenzi said. "All physical educators know about these trends." The shift mirrors a growing belief that competition should be largely removed from phys-ed classes, except for those who want it, and that lifelong exercise and fitness habits should be emphasized. "Students do not want to play basketball three times a week from elementary school through high school, especially students who are not good at it," Lorenzi said. "If you are not a good basketball player but are required to do it every year in PE, no wonder you hate it." "Gym classes emphasizing more fitness, less dodgeball," Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Nov. 13, 2005

Laurel: To IUP's crackdown. Just like many universities across the nation, Indiana University of Pennsylvania has seen its share of substance abuse, particularly in light of recent incidents -- including a student's drug overdose and a brawl involving IUP football players at an Indiana Borough bar. The university's Commission on Substance Abuse will compile a report with recommendations early next year. Here's hoping the upshot will be zero tolerance toward students' illegal use of drugs and alcohol. Consider it a life lesson: For actions, however inebriated, there are consequences. Greensburg Tribune Review, "Laurels and Barbs" editorial page, Nov. 11, 2005

There is no history of violence in Louie’s family, and he doesn’t have much of a rap sheet. He doesn’t drink or do drugs, he says. He is the type of man who experts say is most likely to respond to a men’s group. Roughly 20 percent of the men who end up in court-ordered , batterer-treatment programs will respond positively, like Louie, said Edward Gondolf of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Gondolf and his team studied batterer programs in major U.S. cities to evaluate their effectiveness. The team interviewed the wives of batterers before and after the treatment of their spouses. They also interviewed the batterers. Gondolf’s study found that at least 20 percent of men do not respond to group programs for batterers. Men who don’t benefit from the programs usually have fathers or uncles who were batterers. They often have long rap sheets, previous convictions for violent offenses and a history of drug or alcohol use. They sometimes have psychological disorders. The remaining 60 percent of men who participate in batterer programs fall somewhere between the responsive men, who never reoffend, and the unresponsive men. “One of the biggest issues out there right now is to what degree are batterer-treatment programs effective?” Gondolf said. “Our research shows that the programs do contribute something.” Gondolf’s research seems to suggest that treatment is not effective for some men. But he said the programs are valuable even if they don’t reach all men who are violent. “It’s difficult to make a substantial change with some men who are chronically abusive,” he said. “But there is a strong core of treatment providers out there who feel very strongly that men can and do change. Not all of them, but a substantial portion. And we should try for that. Without that hopeful ideal, there is no motivation to have programs like these.” "Dealing with anger," Santa Fe New Mexican (Santa Fe, NM), Nov. 9, 2005

Some voters tell Channel 6 News, they are concerned with a number of things about the pay raise. One is the way it came about, by an overnight vote, without the public's knowledge and right before lawmakers went on their summer recess. The public was equally stunned by the amount of the pay raise, between 16-54% given to 1300 legislators, judges, and executive branch officials. One local political science professor says it's no wonder the government has changed it's mind. "I think they are seeing the public is not diminishing in its outrage," says Professor Mary Jane Kuffner-Hirt of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. "Across the state we found people who were interested in protesting, having their voices heard." "I was pleasantly surprised that the public pressure actually did work in this kind of a situation. Then I read how the legislature repealed th act and left it up to the judges," says Johnstown resident Sam Rizzo. Some folks told Channel 6 News they are concerned that if judges find the repeal unconstitutional, the legislators will just pass the blame. However, professor Kuffner-Hirt says many of those involved in the pay raise are now realizing their re-election could be in jeopardy. WJAC-TV (Johnstown), Nov. 3, 2005

October 2005

As soon as Neal Wecker saw Robert Heasley Sunday, the two men hugged and greeted each other with smiles. The two men met at the Brookton Hollow Farm Bed & Breakfast at 18 Banks Road with B&B co-owner Deborah Halpern in the afternoon before the opening of “Shifting Gears: Finding Intimacy in Men's Relationships.” “Neal and I were sort of very aware of our friendship and how important it was to us and how physical it was and close it was and open it was to be supportive,” Heasley said. “I remember from conversation along the way, you know there just isn't any representation of that, these relationships.” Wecker and Heasley met during an Ithaca Men's Fest, becoming friends before Heasley left Ithaca College to take a position at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Sociology Department. The two spoke regularly on the phone and decided to create a photo-narrative project to show similar friendships by other men. "Shattering myths: Exhibit celebrates male friendships," Ithaca (NY) Journal, Oct. 31, 2005

Unlike some highly successful business owners, Sam Stoltzfus always plays it safe. About a decade ago, Stoltzfus, president of Keystone Wood Specialties in East Lampeter Township, decided to prioritize safety and adopt measures that raised the bar on safety in the wood-working industry. As a result, Occupational Hazards Magazine has named Keystone to its list of America's Safest Companies of 2005, a list that totals a dozen. Stoltzfus said the honor is especially gratifying for a company in an industry known for high rates of injuries. "It's unheard-of for a woodworking company to achieve such an honor," Stoltzfus said. Keystone voluntarily partnered with the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Onsite Consultation program, which helped it achieve accolades from the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. When OSHA accepted it into its Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program in the fall of 2003, Keystone became only the 13th Pennsylvania company - out of 250,000 eligible employers - to be recognized with that honor. "Woodworking company excells at safety," Lancaster New Era, Oct. 30, 2005 (also on Associated Press)

Ken Western was sitting in his boat on Angela Lake trying to get his cantankerous motor to start a few weeks ago when he glanced into the water and did a quick double-take. About 100 balloon-like creatures were swimming in the water around the boat. "Why are there jellyfish in a freshwater lake?" he asked two friends in the boat, Alex Vazquez and Pete Armstrong. They were all stumped. They'd seen jellyfish at the beach many times but never while fishing in Deltona. When Western and his friends returned home, Armstrong turned to the Internet to figure out what they had seen. He found the Web site of Dr. Terry Peard, a professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania who has studied the clear little creatures for more than 15 years. Technically, they're not really jellyfish. They're hydrozoas. But, they're more common than people realize, Peard said. They're found in lakes throughout the country and in every state, except Alaska and six others in the north central United States. No one seems to know why they show up only once in awhile. That's one of the things that still mystifies Peard after more than 15 years of research. As far as he knows, he's the only one in the United States studying freshwater jellyfish. He said he'll collect them from one lake for several years, then one year they don't show up. Then, they may turn up again several years later. He figures that's why he gets calls from people who suddenly start seeing jellyfish in lakes where they hadn't seen them before. He surmises the answer to the mystery of why they appear and disappear may have something to do with their food supply -- microscopic animals in the water. They appear in the late summer months when the water is warm and the food plentiful -- and in time for reproduction. The jellyfish are eaten by crayfish and turtles, Peard said. He has seen fish take them in and then spit them out, perhaps because they were being stung. Peard and his students have "handled them here for 15 years and never felt a thing," he said. But he's had others report a range of symptoms after a sting. "Freshwater Jellyfish No Fish Tale," Daytona Beach News-Journal, (Florida) Oct. 25, 2005

Salute: To officials at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for creating a university-wide commission to find ways to curb substance abuse involving its students. The Associated Press reports the commission will make recommendations to reduce alcohol abuse, underage drinking, public drunkenness and driving under the influence of alcohol. Beaver County Times, Oct. 24, 2005

Silver camera flashes ignited the vestibule of St. Joseph’s Chapel, as a troupe of around 15 ghost hunters filed into the dimly-lit worship space for a chance to experience the paranormal on October 7, 2005. Then suddenly, white orbs of light began to appear on the hunters’ digital camera screens. The hunters, both Seton Hill University (SHU) students and a members of an area paranormal team, hoped to capture these balls of patterned light, commonly called orbs, on film. Laurel Black, English professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, wife of SHU archivist, Bill Black, said pursuing this science is a worthwhile way to help in understanding death, but added that paranormal investigation is going to take a long time to gain scientific credibility because too many investigators are “whackos”. “They would rather entertain than educate,” said Laurel Black. "Ghostly orbs spotted in chapel: Ghost hunters return," The Setonian (Seton Hill student newspaper), Oct. 22, 2005

Laurel: For upholding standards. It would have been easy for Indiana University of Pennsylvania to wrist-slap its cheerleading squad because of a hazing incident. After all, the squad is quite popular at intercollegiate athletic events and its presence will be missed. Nevertheless, a panel of university administrators, faculty and students stood firm. They found the cheerleaders participated in "high-risk" practices," which were not revealed. (It's been alleged that some veteran squad members provided alcohol to freshman cheerleaders.) As a result, the 16-member squad will be suspended through May. "Laurels and Barbs" (editorial column), Greensburg Tribune-Review, Oct. 21, 2005

Students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania are atwitter over the banishment of the school's cheerleading squad until May, at the earliest. The action was taken by the IUP Recognized Organization Review Board following allegations that the cheerleaders had engaged in hazing of new members, and in prohibited use of alcohol. The suspension bars the 20-member cheering squad from participating at athletic events and from representing themselves in uniform. A university spokesman said details of the investigation and ruling are not public. It is known that campus police were called when a freshman cheerleader returned to her dormitory visibly intoxicated following an annual initiation party. There are indications that IUP’s new president, Tony Atwater, is cracking down on drinking on campus. If so, the cheerleaders may have gone astray at the wrong time. They may have been made an example for the whole campus that underage drinking will not be tolerated. “We hold each of our recognized organizations and programs to high behavioral standards and will not tolerate illegal or high-risk practices or activities,” Atwater said. We don’t know all the details of the incident that brought on the suspension, but we do believe that people must learn rules, laws are made to be obeyed and that disobedience can bring unpleasant consequences. It is not for us to say the IUP action was too severe, but we can say we admire Atwater for taking a stand and making it known early in his service at the university. The example of the cheering squad should make an impression on the entire student body. "Taking a Stand at IUP," Johnstown Tribune-Democrat, Oct. 20, 2005

Jamie Martin recalled that when Ryan J. Kovacicek first stepped into her college classroom in 2001, he was as wide-eyed and shy as most of her freshman students. "I was to be his undergraduate adviser," said Martin, an associate professor of criminology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Indiana. In 2003, Kovacicek talked with Martin about entering the military. Soon after, Kovacicek joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and underwent basic training before returning to school for the 2004 fall semester. "Once he had done that and came back to campus, he was so different, so much more mature and outgoing and comfortable in his own skin ... just a completely different young man," Martin said. "He was more engaged in the classroom and more interested in finishing his education. That's where his experience in the military helped." Kovacicek, who went on to achieve the rank of lance corporal at age 22 and served in Operation Iraqi