Issue III

November 28, 2006

In the up coming years here at Marian, many new changes will take place. Most of these changes have been spurred by the addition of the football team, but according to Athletic director, Joe Haklin, these changes are all for the betterment of everyone at Marian. “The students here now are part of a historical change. We should all feel proud; we’re all part of this,” said Haklin.

Some of the changes taking place within the construction include: a new weight room, a renovation of the current one, new locker rooms, a new training room, and an expanded entry way. Also in the near future, a football stadium will be built. According to Neil Langfermen, Director of Campus Operations, “We are looking at two options for its location, but there are still a few variables to be decided, such as the design and cost.” In addition to these changes to come, improvements have already begun to take place. Haklin said, “So far, we put new lights on the baseball field, a new athletic logo was painted on center court as part of the senior gift, a new border was painted around the gym, the soccer netting was replaced, a P.A. system was installed at the soccer fields, we purchased new tennis ball machines, and replaced backboards in the gym.”

When it is completed, the Physical Education center will be quadrupled in size. The addition of a second weight room will greatly improve athletics. The new weight room will be designed more for cardio work and aimed at the general student body; it will include eight treadmills, six ellipticals, four or five exercise bikes, and some light weight, among other machines. The current weight room will be designed more for heavy weights and body building. Along with a new weight room, the expansion of the P.E. Center will have an aerobic/dance room. Haklin said, “Hopefully we can form more classes such as Tae Bo and yoga.” The extension will also include an equipment issue room with basketballs, volleyballs, rackets, jump ropes, etc. for student use. “We want it to be a place to recreate, stay fit, meet people, let off steam, and have some fun,” stated Haklin.

These changes should help to accommodate the increase in size of Marian’s student body. According to Haklin, “Last year we had 231 student athletes; this year we have approximately 300; next year’s projection is 360- 370. We are in a period of dynamic change.” A great deal of this large increase is accredited to the up and coming football team. As for the stadium, two locations are being looked at, Langferman said, “We have either a spot at Lake Sullivan, near the Velodrome, or on campus at the southern edge off of 30th Street.” The practice field will be constructed down at the Eco Lab. Surrounding the field will be an eight-lane track, so we can start to host track events as well. “It will have a lot of potential for use by the whole community,” said Haklin. Haklin also said they hope to have the stadium complete by the third season, but for sure by the fourth season. “The guys here now are here based on a dream. They are truly the pioneers,” commented Haklin.

These renovations seem to be a step forward, though not all students think so much emphasis should be placed on these new additions. One student, who wishes to remain anonymous said, “The first priority of any college should be academics.” Some think that the money being used for athletics would be better used to strengthen academic programs. However, according to Haklin, by expanding the athletic department and hosting more games and events, we can increase profits, which could be used to support academics in the future. Whether students are for or against the renovations, it is clear that Marian will continue to grow. As for the P.E. Center, Haklin is excited by the work being done and stated that the keys will be handed over July 1, 2007 with the renovations and additions completed.

Staying Safe in Indy
By: Dalila Huerta

Would you ever believe that you were more likely to be a victim of a crime in Indianapolis than in New York or Los Angeles?

Well it’s true. According to the 2006 Statistical Abstract of the United States, 6,555 crimes per 100,000 inhabitants were reported to the police in 2003 alone. Compare that to 2,917 crimes in New York and 4,809 crimes in Los Angeles.

Shocking? While Marian ensures a safe campus life, residents at Marian must take precautions when off campus. Living in a large city does have tremendous benefits, but along with these benefits come a few consequences as well.

Anyone who has followed the news recently has heard about all the crime that took place on the west side of Indianapolis. From murders to car accidents, everyday shopping and driving could end up being quite scary. Let’s not forget the Lafayette Square Mall shooting this past summer. West 38 th St. was the central location of much crime over the past summer, and crime around the area has not decreased since then.

Most recently a shooting took place at Club Rio (next to Best Buy on west 38 th St.) involving three Pacers basketball players. This event has had much media attention due to Steven Jackson, one of the players involved in the incident (in fact, the one who fired the shot), but what Marian students need to learn from this is that it occurred not far from Marian at night.

While most students are not likely to become a victim of some targeted crime, students may still fall victims to other dangerous situations.

Ashley Helms, a Marian College student, remembers one such incident. “I went to Meijer at 3:00 in the afternoon, by myself, to pick up some coffee,” said Helms. “As I was looking for a parking spot I let a man cross the road. I then parked and as I looked out my side window the man was right there staring at me, waiting for me to get out. I slowly locked the doors, put the keys back into the ignition and drove to Marsh to get my coffee. I can't say I've ever had to experience that before-creepy!”

While Helms avoided a potentially dangerous situation, others do not take such precautions. Many students go out to Meijer at 2:00 in the morning, or catch a very late night snack at Taco Bell or Steak ‘n Shake. These activities put students at a heightened risk for violent crimes or accidents.

Matthew Hartmann, a Marian College graduate, recalls several occasions he barely missed a potential accident.

“I was driving back to Marian and turned off of 38th onto Cold Spring Rd. A drunk driver was ahead of me and almost caused an accident many times,” said Hartmann.

With all of this danger around Marian, it might seem appealing to stay cooped up in your dorm and never go out. While this extreme is not at all necessary, the following suggestions may help you avoid danger:

1. Do not go out late at night if you can. While Taco Bell may sound tasty when you are pulling an all-nighter, plan ahead of time and stock up on other snacks.
2. Do not go out alone. If you must go out, bring your roommate or friend along. The chances of being a victim of selected crimes decrease when you’re in the company of someone else (it also helps if your companion has a certain intimidating appearance).
3. Do not leave your car unlocked. Ever.
4. Do not leave purses, wallets, electronics, etc. in your car in a visible area.
5. Be careful of what you say in public. You never know who you can offend and how they can react.
6. Watch for road rage! Be polite while you are driving and follow the rules of the road. Passing a car might save you a few minutes on your trip, but if not done properly, you might stir up some trouble for yourself.
7. If someone is following you while you are driving, try to lose them - go somewhere else.
8. While you are trying to lose them, don’t go into unfamiliar areas. Go to a well-lit public area instead.
9. Have your cell phone on you in case of an emergency, but don’t feel overly confident because you have it…making a quick phone call can still take a long time.
10. If a cop stops you, don’t pull over until you are in a public area. Signal to the cop by blinking your lights or by turning on the interior car lights, and then pull up to a well-lit public area.

Honduras Mission Trip
By: Mandy Fullington

Picture this…living in a descent house, eating a balanced meal every day, being a healthy individual, having good medical care, basically living the life of all Americans. Now picture Honduras, located in Central America. Honduras has seventy percent of the AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) cases in Central America. There are around three-thousand children living with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and over fourteen-thousand have been orphaned by AIDS. The organization Sociedad Amigos de los Ninos is an organization founded thirty-eight years ago and is directed by Sister Maria Rosa Leggol. Support is provided by this organization through social and developmental programs to the most vulnerable parts of the Honduran population. Marian College has decided to take an alternative break to Honduras and help out the unfortunate. This is scheduled for December 15 th until the 22 nd. The participants in this alternative break to Honduras must raise enough money to help pay for their trip. Be a Good Samaritan and make sure to contribute to something that is unselfish and giving.

Safety on Campus Update
By: Brandon Van Hook

The Marian Campus Police have had their hands full this year, seeing an increase in both common and not-so-common campus crime. Theft, vandalism, larceny, harassment, trespassing, domestic issues, miscellaneous alcohol and drug violations, miscellaneous warrant arrests and arson are some of the issues addressed thus far by Police Chief Jim Davidson and fellow officers. A spree of vehicle break-ins and car stereo thefts were among the most costly to students, as well as the more recent band room incident, in which musical instruments were taken. Overall trends of criminal activity have gone up nationwide and Chief Davidson says that he knows of many schools facing similar problems. Butler and IUPUI students were victims of larceny in the weeks prior to and following the break-ins at Marian. In response to these trends, Davidson and others have gotten approval for new safety measures including 3 Emergency Call Boxes expected to be installed before the spring of 2007. With the formation of the Parking Appeal Committee and support from the newly-ordered school administration, Chief Jim “J.D.” Davidson hopes to gain more support to protect and serve the students of Marian College. “We take our jobs to heart. We care a lot about the kids here,” said Davidson.

Students can help ensure campus safety in the following ways:

• Lock and put up valuables in a secure place
• Report any suspicious activity with details
• Avoiding association with illegal activity
• Walk with a buddy at night

Contact the Marian Campus Police for any additional information at X6789

In the Spotlight
By: Andrew Fultz

Heartache, death and humor highlight Joined at the Head. On September 28-30 and again from October 5-7, the Performing Knights of Marian College performed their first masterpiece of the year, Joined at the Head. Staring Kathleen Christian, Marissa Freson, Jonathan Meacham, Karen Herendeen, Elena Harrison, Mia Horninger, Peter Kern, Shawn Lainhart, and Dhir Mediwala, Joined at the Head was an instant crowd favorite.

Set in Boston, the play revolves around famous writer Maggie Mulroney (Kathleen Christian) and her encounters with her old high school flame Jim Burroughs (Jonathan Meacham) and his cancer stricken wife Maggy Burroughs (Marisa Freson). Maggie and Maggy come from two different worlds in high school, but both remember each other. As the play progresses Maggy continues to get worse as she undergoes more chemotherapy. Eventually she does parish from cancer, but before she does she takes hold of the narration of this story and provides some important insight on the narrator Maggie.

Humor is strewn all throughout the play. Maggie gets into some very interesting predicaments, buys crystal from a “hippie” rock crystal salesman (Shawn Lainhart), consults a very unhelpful doctor (Karen Herendeen), and is interviewed on Boston Public Access Television by a very humorous interviewer (Elena Harrison). The continued interruptions by Maggy also add humor to the Romantic vision that Maggie puts into place in her monologues.

Joined at the Head took the audience on an emotional ride with a more “down to Earth” input from Maggy. This play is a Must See! It has everything from drama to humor. Some slight uses of profane words were used in the play, but all in all the play was a major success. Freshman Heather DeLucaney said “I loved the play and the acting was great. I want to see it again.” After seeing this play twice this reporter gives Joined at the Head 4 ½ out of 5 Stars.

Cast Includes:

Kathleen Christian as Maggie Mulroney

Marissa Freson as Maggy Burroughs

Jonathon Meacham as Jim Burroughs

Elena Harrison as Nora

Karen Herendeen as the Doctor

Mia Horninger as Sandy

Peter Kern as Mr. Mulroney

Shawn Lainhart as the Crystal Salesman

Dhir Mediwala as the Engaged Man

Future Productions by the Performing Knights Include:

Are You Afraid of the Dark? Volume IV

October 25-27 at 7 p.m. at the Hackelmeir Memorial Library

Warning: Lables

February 16-18 and 23-25 at 8 p.m. at the Peine Theatre in Fisher Hall

Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?

Oh Canada!
By: Kathleen Christian

Shakespeare lovers abound in Stratford in October, and for that matter at most times of the year, after all it is where he was born. Shakespeare certainly left his mark there too; the city seems obsessed with famous playwrights, but more than that, with the theatre in general. Stratford’s annual Shakespeare festival runs from as early as April to late October and includes much more than the traditional Shakespearian plays. It also contains classics like Oliver Twist, Don Juan and even contemporary plays like The Blonde, the Brunet and the Vengeful Redhead.

Every year, Marian College’s Performing Knights form a group to attend this festival over fall break. This year’s expedition found three remarkable plays in Canada. Rogers and Hammerstein’s classic South Pacific, preformed in the Avon theatre was a barrage of tropical colors, superb choreography and elaborate moving sets. Much Ado About Nothing, the Shakespearian comedy that pokes fun at the extraordinary things people are led to do when mislead by tricks, was set in the 1920s and preformed at the festival theatre.

Twelfth Night, another comedy by Shakespeare, involving twins, a strange love triangle and some bright yellow socks was also performed at the festival theatre. The festival theatre is modeled after the globe theatre in England with a stage that juts out into the audience, and seating that wraps nearly around it. To top off our trip, we toured the huge costume warehouse that provides costumes, by renting or building, for the festivals shows, and got close up looks at the detail that goes into these pieces, as well as an opportunity to try a few on. Every shop, person, sign and even restaurant has the air of the theatre about it. To be so immersed in this seemingly strange culture in Stratford was an experience that left me excited to return again next fall.

The 10 Types of People That Really Grind My Gears This Year.
By: Sam DiFilippo

1. The person who is bragging to me about how much class he has skipped, and to save us all a bunch of time just go to Taco Bell and start memorizing the menu.
   
2. The person who paid $3.99 for a custom ring tone and lets it ring until the song is over to answer the phone, sometimes in class. This also goes for the person who gets up to answer the phone in class like the banker from Deal or No Deal has a new offer.
   
3. The person who wants to tell me how much the NFL/NBA/MLB/MCC team “sucks,” even though that team is in the playoffs and they do not want to share their team with you because you will laugh.
   
4. The person who only read the headline from the front page of the newspaper and walks around all day like they are Geraldo and they know everything about the news that day. Next time this happens to you just give them the benefit of the doubt, it will make them feel smarter.
   
5. The person who brags about what a big mess they made over at Doyle.
   
6. The kids who are oblivious to the fact that we have sport teams on campus, but still ask the athletes, “How “the game” went?” Just do us all a favor and go to the game instead.
   
7. The one person in class who constantly finds one more question to ask, these students are rampant on campus and will stop at nothing to make class longer.
   
8. Students who still start their sentences with: Dude, In high school, Back home, My one friend, and the infamous, This one time. This is college make some new memories…please!
   
9. The person with the wheely backpack thingy that is never really that full. This is America, put the backpack on your back!
   
10. The people who stand around and have a contest to see who has the most work, in the long run no one will care how many papers you have, but how many you got done.
    

Current Events 101
By Malachi Cowells

Are you too busy to read about what is happening in the world? Or perhaps you just don’t want to spend the time looking through the newspaper to find what the important stories are. Well, if that is the case, I can help. I will tell you what the biggest news stories are so that you don’t have to.

Latest in Iraq
Situations in Iraq got worse after relations between Prime Minister al-Malaki and the United States soured. The United States has been dissatisfied with the progress the Iraqi’s have made in regard to the violence. Mr. Malaki and other Iraqis have been upset by American control of the military and possible favoritism of Sunnis. This came to a head when Mr. Malaki ordered American troops to abandon checkpoints in and around Sadr City (Shiite, anti-American section of Baghdad) to reduce tensions and violence in the area in an unprecedented show of force in regard to American forces in Iraq.

Latest in North Korea
North Korea surprisingly declared their intention to rejoin six-party talks with Russia, United States, Japan, China and South Korea. The intention of these talks was to find some sort of a compromise in which North Korea would abandon their nuclear ambitions. These talks had been ongoing for several years even while North Korea was pursuing a nuclear bomb and many are unconvinced that North Korea dictator Kim Jong-il will indeed abandon his nuclear program.

Gaza Strip Raid
Israel launched a large offensive into the Palestinian controlled Gaza. So far thirty-five people have been wounded and seven people, including one Israeli soldier have been killed in the clash between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian militants. Israel has made several incursions into Gaza since last June when an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by Palestinian militants.

North Korea Controversy
By Malachi Cowells

On July 5th 2006 North Korea test-fired at least six missiles over the Sea of Japan in defiance of warnings from the U.S., Japan, South Korea and China. This aggressive act was met with protest and further warnings from much of the world.

However, in further defiance of the international community North Korea, on October 9, 2006 only three months later North Korea tested a small nuclear device underground. Very soon after this test the United Nations imposed sanctions on North Korea that, while they have had limited success, were meant to restrict materials going either in or out of North Korea to force further isolationism on North Korea so they would give up their nuclear ambitions.

North Korea as a nuclear power is a grave threat to many nations, not the least of which is the United States. In order to stop this threat (from a very desperate country, economically and politically) the United States does what? They use every diplomatic option available and attempt to solve the problem in whatever peaceful means they can, right?

No. Instead, even when North Korea says they may halt their nuclear tests if the United States talks with them unilaterally, the Bush administration continues its archaic and useless policy of refusing to talk unilaterally to countries that are non-voluntary members of the “Axis-of Evil” (North Korea, Iran, Syria) as President Bush referred to them. It is not an effective policy to ignore those that have the potential to launch nuclear weapons and possibly kill millions of people.

Our own fellow Marian College student Jon Royal claims, “Not having any diplomatic relations with North Korea is further exacerbating the problem.” Indeed it is, and President Jimmy Carter echoed those sentiments when he said, “the stupidest thing that a government can do that has a real problem with someone is to refuse to talk to them.”

Carter is right, but in this case the Bush administration’s stupid mistake is possibly deadly. On October 29, 2006 North Korea reportedly launched five short-range missiles (a significant increase over previous years) in an annual training exercise. If that is not enough to show you how dangerous North Korea is, on that same day intelligence officials reported that it appears North Korea is attempting to test another nuclear device.

With deep seeded resentments in North Korea towards South Korea, Japan and the United States, a possibly off balance dictator with nukes and now a country that is even more desperate because of debilitating sanctions, we as an international community must do everything to solve this problem. Other countries have their responsibilities that they might not be meeting effectively (China, South Korea, Russia), but North Korea is asking for unilateral talks with the United States and we are refusing. Ignore somebody for too long and they will get your attention. In this case though, their attention-getter could be disastrous.

Getting into Grad School
By Brandon Van Hook

Have you ever considered going to graduate school? Well, December is coming up and that means graduate school applications for enrollment next fall will be due. Some schools take applications up through February or have rolling admission. Have you taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE‘s)? If not, look into it, many schools require the test for admission. Not to sound like a finger-shaking old man, but it’s never too early to start applying. It doesn’t have to be a tedious and frightening process.

The internet, as always, is the easiest place to start. Check out www.gradschools.com. You can search for a school by subject and geographical region. Once you find a place that looks suited for you and offers the type of degree you’re looking for, get in touch with the admissions office there. Talk on the phone and get the information you want to know. Once you think you might want to look into the school further, planning a campus tour is a good idea.

You’re going to be spending a lot of time at grad school, there’s no sense wasting the time, energy, and money to apply if you can’t imagine being happy there. Also, give professors plenty of time to write those recommendation letters.

Finally, make sure to look into assistantships and other options for establishing a decent cash flow and/or financial aid opportunities. To sum up, get the ball rolling on graduate school ASAP and don’t be afraid of rejection.

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Movie Review: Man of the Year
By: Brittany Hendrix

Not What You’d Expect

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Man of the Year starring Robin Williams is not quite what you would expect from Williams or from the previews. Most of the good laughs are in the trailer, yet the comedy is not what makes this movie good. Being able to balance comedy and drama is what sets this movie apart. Williams shows a brilliant ability to go from the funny man we all know and love to a serious man whom we could actually see as president of the United States.

In the movie, comedian Tom Dobbs (Williams) decides to take advice from a viewer of his late night comedy show and run for president of the United States. So Dobbs hits the road with his serious presidential campaign. However, Dobbs soon learns that running for president is not all serious. With constant pressure from his management team of Jack Menken (Christopher Walken) and Eddie Langston (Lewis Black), he finally takes a chance to use his comedy to win him a presidency.

This first half of the movie is where most of the laughs happen, and then it makes a dramatic change in its pace. Even though there is still comedy throughout the second half, it is focused more on the election and the results of it. The only part of the movie that lacks is the weak attempt at a relationship between Dobbs and Eleanor Green (Laura Linney). Nothing is ever fully developed between Dobbs and Green, yet it is hinted at. Never is there enough information to make any kind of interpretation to the nature of their relationship.

If you have not seen the preview, do not see it. Watching it will only ruin this movie for you. Just know that it is a political commentary on the election process and the presidency. If you have already seen the preview, just try to keep an open mind about the movie.