March brings thoughts of NCAA basketball tournaments, spring break, warmer weather, and orientation for the newest members of the USI family. Yes, we start orientation for our fall new students in March. Actually many on campus have been thinking about our fall 2009 class for over a year, preparing to meet and welcome the newest members of the Screaming Eagle family. Our first group will arrive on March 26 for orientation. The students that attend this orientation session received a special invite from the Provost. This group is some of our highest academic achieving students.

There are two different orientation programs offered to new students to the university. New Student Orientation is designed for a student entering a university for the first time (freshman) or a transfer student that has earned less than 19 credit hours at a previous institution. This session is a one-day program because we spend more time on university processes and resources. We also have special sessions for parents of our new students. Our second type of orientation is Transfer and Nontraditional Student Orientation. Students attending this session would include transfer students whom have earned more than 19 credit hours at another institution and students that are 25 years of age or older. This session is shorter (half day) and focuses on what that population needs to know. There is also students that don’t need to attend orientation and they include non-degree seeking students, distance education students, students who already have earned a bachelor’s degree and USI full-time staff and faculty. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree and USI staff and faculty need to notify us so we can remove their orientation hold and then they can get registered for classes.

Orientation at USI is a collaborative effort between all divisions of the institution and Student Development Programs is merely the coordinating office. It takes all of us to welcome and help students get ready for their first semester of classes. We appreciate all that is done across campus to make the students orientation experience a positive and welcoming one.

In conjunction with orientation, students also take placement exams to determine first courses they will take in math, English, reading and foreign languages (optional). There have been changes made to the academic placement requirements for the upcoming year. If this is an area you work with, we highly encourage you to check-out the requirements at www.usi.edu/orientation/academic_placement. It is important that students take their required placement exams prior to orientation. Academic Skills has several options for students to complete this, including testing at 4, 5 or 6 p.m. the evening prior to an orientation session. We highly encourage students to test before the morning of orientation. Students with disabilities needs to file the necessary documentation with the Counseling Center 60 days before accommodations are needed.

The morning of orientation is filled with presentations by faculty and staff and small group discussions that are lead by our AMIGOS, current USI students. We cover areas like University Core Curriculum, academic requirements, differences between high school and college, reading your DARS report, financial aid, campus resources, housing, food service, security, technology, etc. After the presentations, students will have an advising appointment with their respective college or department and enroll in their fall and summer courses. They also have time to audition for one of the campus music groups, take a campus tour or a tour of university housing, met with a financial assistance counselor, and other departments across campus. At orientation, students are given a checklist of items that most new students need to take care of before classes start in the fall. We encourage students to work through that list during the afternoon.

We try to personal a student’s orientation experience. Each student is given an individual packet that includes information specific to them. This may include individual advising appointment information, honors information, placement test results, Living Learning Community information, MyUSI information, and personalized letters to their high schools. In addition, each student’s advising appointment is individualized by faculty and staff looking at past academic records, courses they may have transferred in or received through the CAP program, talking with the student about their abilities, etc. The faculty and staff take time to really personalize a student’s advising experience. We want students to have a positive and welcoming experience and this happens when we pay attention to the little details for each student.

There are fees associated with orientation. All new students to the university pay a matriculation fee ($65) the first semester they enroll in classes at USI. This fee covers the cost of many programs associated with helping our first year students adjust to USI, including orientation. Students will pay this fee, even if they choose not to attend orientation and wait to register for classes during open registration.

All new degree seeking admitted students for Summer 2009 and Fall 2009 have received a mailing from the Office of Student Development Programs with the orientation information in late February and others have or will receive it in their admission packet. To see a complete schedule for the orientation sessions and learn more about orientation, go to www.usi.edu/orientation. You are welcome to attend any of the orientation sessions to get a firsthand experience of the orientation process.

It is the beginning of an exciting month for basketball and exciting few months of welcoming the newest members of our family to campus. I hope you too feel the excitement!

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: CARMEN STOEN, director of Student Development Programs.

The Shield created a bit of a buzz on campus when an advertising insert for Southern Illinois University Carbondale tumbled out of the Feb. 26 edition.

To complicate matters, the ad, which promotes SIUC’s new offer of in-state tuition for students in Indiana and four other states, was placed on the stands just in time for another Southern Hospitality Days.

I spent the day seeking the answer to this question: “Should a university’s student newspaper allow a competing university to advertise?”

I posed the question to my colleagues from the College Media Advisors, a national organization of student newspaper advisors to which I belong.

I received eight responses from advisors at state universities who said their newspapers accept advertising from other universities. One of those advisors even asked me for the contact information for the person at SIUC who placed the ad – her paper wanted the revenue.

An advisor at a private college was the only person who said the student newspaper had a policy against running ads for other schools.

I also learned the same ad that ran in The Shield ran in seven other student newspapers.

I turned to the Student Publications Policy Manual to see if the students had overlooked an existing policy. Here is the newspaper’s advertising policy:

“All decisions regarding the types of advertising accepted by The Shield are at the discretion of the editorial board. The board may prohibit publication of any advertisement it deems inappropriate.”

Until last week, we had only measured “inappropriate” advertising based on whether an ad is offensive, jeopardizes the health and safety of students, or is prohibited by law. To our knowledge, The Shield has not previously been approached by another school to advertise undergraduate programs.

In light of this new category – competition from other schools –The Shield editorial board convened Thursday afternoon to review the policy. (The editorial board is composed of the editor in chief, managing editor, the copy editor, and all section editors. The advisor is present for editorial board meetings but does not have a vote).

After a lengthy discussion and debate, they voted to leave the policy as is except for a procedural modification that clarifies how the advertising and editorial departments communicate about questionable advertising materials.

The policy as written allows future editorial boards (which change every academic year) to interpret what is or is not appropriate.

If you are interested in reading the student’s rationale for their decision, you can find it on the opinion page in this week’s edition of The Shield.

One of the most common arguments The Shield makes when criticizing decision makers is the lack of transparency in the decision-making process. I’ve seen them do it time and time again.

As an advisor, I always remind them they also wield a significant amount power – the power of the printed word.

So when they write an opinion, make a decision, or run a controversial ad, I’m quick to remind them to hold themselves to that same standard of transparency.

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: ERIN GIBSON, instructor in journalism and advisor to The Shield.

Copy Services has just installed a Xerox 700 color printer that and we are excited to share the news. With the new printer, we are able to offer a 25 percent savings to the University community.

The Copy Services staff felt there were some important criteria the machine had to meet: it had to be capable of handling a range of paper stocks, including 100 pounds gloss cover. Registration (or alignment) of the image from sheet to sheet and from front to back on two-sided copies had to be excellent. We wanted tight registration, and this machine has plus or minus one millimeter, which is critical on postcards, flyers, catalogues, etc.

Thanks to the Xerox 700, we are now producing short-run color work that was previously sent off campus. The 700 is adding a cost-effective alternative for low quantity, full-color jobs.
Our goal is to grow the digital print production by expanding project opportunities and reducing costs. We wanted the flexibility to produce a wide variety of printed products on both coated and uncoated paper.

We can print or copy in full color at speeds up to 70 ppm (pages per minute). This machine provides exceptional image quality with the highest resolution available – 2400 x 2400 dpi (dots per inch) – producing smooth color sweeps; sharp, high-resolution photographs; crisp, clean text; outstanding gradients; and fine detail.

The Xerox 700 prints on coated and uncoated paper with a maximum sheet size of 12″ x 18″. The Xerox 700 Digital Color Press uses a proprietary low-melt EA Toner that prints full color at fast speeds with matte finish image quality. EA Toner is Xerox’s patented chemically-grown toner; its miniscule particles help ensure high-quality halftones, smooth transitions, and rich shadow detail. This environmentally-friendly, low-melt EA Toner requires less energy to manufacture and print, minimizing the impact on the environment.

Copy Services offers many other products and services, such as: black and white copies, transparencies, lamination, folding, scoring, wire-binding, comb-binding (booklets with plastic combs), and cutting, three-hole punch, stapling, and more.

Our vision is to provide USI’s students, faculty, and staff the capabilities to create, copy, and manage their documents in a professional manner. We will meet this goal by providing reliable, high-speed equipment, unwavering customer service, and convenient location and hours. We will operate the business in a manner that is fiscally responsible and provides a benefit to USI.

Questions? Call me at ext. 1889.

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: RONNIE SMITH, Copy Services supervisor.

I hear it all the time. “I hate having my picture taken. I HATE having my picture taken.” I see it all the time: that worn out, 20-year-old church directory photo you keep trotting out to use for a headshot. Don’t tell me you still think those huge shoulder pads are still in…..or those mutton chop sideburns and man-perms are currently popular. Come on, give it up! You need a new head shot. You know who you are….

You would think we were the BMV: grumpy old ladies who bark at you to look at the camera and then click the shutter mid-blink. You would think we were the annoying people at the unnamed, over-priced photo studio that not only tells you to say something insulting like “Cheese!”….or “Money!”…or “Davey Jones”….or “Nick Jonas!” They might as well be telling me to say: “Economic depression!” or “Bernie Madoff!” Then they turn around and guilt you into buying this enormous package that you really don’t need: 172 wallets, 480 portrait petites, 37 5 x 7’s and 12 8 x 10’s.

Believe me, we understand. Getting your photo taken is like baring your soul to the cruel gods of Geretol or Dexatrim. It is awful. We here in the photography department hate having our photo taken, too. We do our best to make it as quick and as harmless as possible. Think of it as a root canal with really, really, really good meds. Using the overly dramatic root canal example, it is something a little stressful but painless. And your outcome is not the usual nausea and pain that accompanies a root canal, but a very good photo.

I know you think you are the lone exception in “photogenic-ness”. You declare it is hopeless. You just can’t take a good photo. This is where knowing how to get your good side, how to light you and at what angle to shoot you from is half the battle. And we do all that. It also helps knowing all the tricks of the trade that Photoshop has to offer. We can soften wrinkles, take off pimples, lighten up under eye circles and make your teeth look whiter. The only thing we can’t do is promise you that you will look like Angelina or Brad when we are finished. But let’s face it; even Angelina and Brad don’t look like Angelina and Brad anymore.

It also helps to know what to wear in your photo. Do not wear red. It reflects on the skin and can make your complexion look florid. Do not wear turtlenecks. They actually make you look heavier. It also helps not to tan right before you come over. Yes, you may look a healthy golden brown when you stroll in. But the camera sees a scary electric orange that says “Hey! I am radioactive!” Because we want this photo to be as good as possible, we have a comprehensive list of “what not to wear” we will gladly share with you upon request. We believe that if you are going to make the time to come and visit us for a new photo, it should be the best experience possible. And you should walk out a happier person than you came in.

So throw aside your reservations, toss caution to the wind, and call me to set a time to have your portrait taken. If you have a new hairstyle, you need a new headshot. If you have lost some weight, you need a new headshot. If you broke down and put away those enormous plastic blue-framed, pink-tinted glasses and bought yourself some new frames, you need a new headshot. If you had a promotion, you need a new headshot. If the last time you had your photo taken was when Eisenhower was president, stop trying to pass that photo off as you and call me now!

And unlike that unnamed, over-priced studio, we don’t cost a thing. When was the last time you actually got something for nothing? Consider this our own brand of economic stimulus.
So for now, I am waiting for a phone call from you telling me you have summoned up your courage, are ready to take a big leap of faith with us and you are putting that 20-year-old photo away for good. Call me, Barb Goodwin, at ext. 7130. You know who you are!

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: BARB GOODWIN, administrative assistant in Photography Services.

The Sponsored Research Office (SRO) promotes a supportive environment for research and scholarly and creative endeavors of the University community. We act as resource or refuge for faculty and academic staff. Since grant proposals to outside sources require specific administrative approvals, SRO is here to help you negotiate this process. We will steer you in the right direction so you can focus on what matters to you - your scholarly work!

In addition, SRO provides assistance with finding funding sources and proposal preparation, offers grantsmanship and compliance training, monitors compliance with research-related regulations, administers the review of human subjects research, and assists in non-financial post-award administration. We’re a one-stop shop for moving your project from possibility to reality.

Though certain requirements exist for each grant submission, our goal is provide the level of assistance you need to get your proposal out the door. Once a potential funding source is identified, SRO works to help you overcome obstacles. SRO has the vantage point and knowledge to connect, mediate, and coordinate University-wide linkages. Much like a set of Tinker Toys, we’ll assist you in piecing the proposal the together. Your imagination is the limit.

A good idea is crucial for writing a successful proposal. Most reviewers look for reasons to eliminate proposals. They read for “what’s wrong” with them due to more requests than funds. Your job is not to give them any excuse to eliminate your proposal. As research administrators, our job is to help develop a good idea into a convincing proposal. We begin with the perspective of “what’s right” with your proposal and build from there. The process takes patience and practice.

A proposal is a persuasive document trying to convince a sponsor that your idea is worthy of funding. If you’re passionate about your idea, it will show in your writing. Finally, make it concise; make it clear; make it worthy; and make it sing! We’ll be here when you need us.

For more information about the Sponsored Research Office, please visit our web site at www.usi.edu/sro. Also you may contact us by email at mhdragoo@usi.edu, phone 812/465-1126, or visit our office in the Wright Administration Building Room 104.

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: HEATHER DRAGOO, sponsored research specialist.

David L. Rice Library is increasing its Web 2.0 presence with the implementation of a blog and a Facebook page. Several librarians and I collaborated to create the Let’s Talk Library blog and the library’s Facebook page, in order to quickly update the USI community with information about new resources, events, and services. The term “Web 2.0” describes interacting with the Internet that is user-centered and collaborative. Second Life, Flickr, Wikipedia, Facebook, and blogs are all examples of well-known Web 2.0 technologies. Universities and colleges are using Web 2.0 applications specifically to reach out to students, faculty, and staff.

Let’s Talk Library (blog)

Rice Library’s new blog, Let’s Talk Library (http://ricelibrary.blogspot.com/), contains postings and photos related to library services, events, and resources. USI faculty members and students can peruse stories or subscribe to a feed of blog postings. Let’s Talk Library is available from the Rice Library home page (www.usi.edu/library). Recent postings briefly describe the Evansville Digital History Project and new e-books, but topics also cover new print resources, changes in research databases, web site enhancements, Interlibrary Loan, University Archives & Special Collections, Distance Learning Services, policies, exhibits/displays, special events, and instructional materials. For more information about Let’s Talk Library, or to learn how to subscribe to a feed of blog postings, contact me (Margie Ruppel, mdruppel@usi.edu) or Joanne Artz, assistant director and head of Reference Services (jartz@usi.edu).

Facebook

Realizing the importance of meeting students on their own terms, Rice Library joined the world of Facebook in the summer of 2008. Rice Library’s Facebook page has over one hundred interested fans who keep up-to-date on what’s happening in the library world. The Rice Library Facebook page features a virtual bookshelf targeting the newest books to our collection, a discussion board where common reference questions are answered, a list of links to other web pages of interest (e.g., information on library careers or Ethiopian traveling libraries), and direct links to library resources JSTOR and WorldCat. True to the world of Web 2.0, Rice Library’s Facebook page also subscribes to feeds from the aforementioned Let’s Talk Library blog. Anyone with a Facebook account can become a fan of the David L. Rice Library’s Facebook page. The library is working to make the Facebook page another outlet for answering reference questions from students. For more information about Rice Library’s Facebook presence, contact Brooke Bolton, Instructional Services Librarian (babolton@usi.edu) or me.

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: Margie Ruppel, reference and interlibrary loan librarian, David L. Rice Library.

Monday, January 19. The charter bus barreled down the snow-covered interstate, passing less fearless buses and semis – and even snow plows – on its way to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration of President Barack Hussein Obama. We’d left at midnight - about 55 of us on a trip arranged by Julia, a member of Women for Obama. Julia booked the bus and a block of rooms in a hotel 30 miles from the capital.

I was still on the bus the following afternoon when Angela, who I met at the first Evansville for Obama meeting in February 2008, called to tell me that she had tickets to the inauguration for my husband Brad and me. She had arranged with Congressman Ellsworth’s office to take possession of any unclaimed tickets and give them to dedicated Campaign for Change volunteers. Our tickets were in the Silver Section, the standing-room and final ticketed section on the mall.

After 15 hours on the bus, we arrived at our hotel and barely had time to clean up before we received a call from Ann, another long-time volunteer, who had arranged for a taxi to take us to the Metro station in 15 minutes. Ann led a dozen of us through the process of purchasing a round-trip pass for that evening’s Evansville Reunion in D.C., and an all-day pass for Inauguration Day, when lines for the passes (featuring Obama’s picture in honor of the occasion) were sure to be long.

The Evansville Reunion of Campaign for Change volunteers and staff was held at a restaurant near Dupont Circle, site of The Saging of the White House that evening. Ann, who misunderstood the technical details of saging (or “smudging,” in which a bundle of the herb is burned and the smoke believed to be cleansing), brought with her a can of McCormick Ground Sage dating back to the Nixon administration. As we walked back to the Metro station after the party, she sprinkled it here and there before passing the can to me. I flung it about, inadvertently sprinkling George Stephanopoulos, who was strolling behind us (and thankfully seemed not to notice).

Ann advised us to catch a cab to the Metro station at 4:30 a.m. on Inauguration Day, so I scheduled a wake-up call for 3:30 a.m., woke and bundled up, and, along with my husband and a few friends, was in a cab (called by Ann, who stayed behind to wait for others) and on my way to the station at 4:30 sharp. Within two miles of our destination, we were stopped by a line of traffic, so we walked the rest of the way in the freezing dark. Because we had already purchased passes at Ann’s suggestion, we were able to bypass the lines and board a relatively empty train bound for D.C.

When we emerged from Union Station near the Capitol, all was chaos. We were immediately confronted by masses of people wrapped in heavy coats and blankets, hawking Obama gear, forcing their way around roadblocks and past emergency vehicles, and trying to find their way through the maze created by a blocked-off mall and parade route. By asking officials and out of dumb luck, we found our way to the tunnel that was supposed to lead us to the Silver Gate. Thousands of people made their way through the long, dim tunnel, and it was a relief when we emerged into the light of day as the sun came up.

We followed signs until we came to an intersection clogged with people waiting for the distant Silver Gate to open. And there we stood. Over the next two hours, the crowd began to tighten. Some people pushed forward. Then, hundreds began to squeeze toward us, coming from the opposite direction in search of another ticketed area. I managed my panic by taking deep breaths and holding tightly to Brad’s shoulders.

Without warning, the mass moved forward. First we passed through a line of police who simply asked us to hold up our tickets. Then, as if possessed of its own intelligence, the crowd began to move sideways, to the left. We were forced into a narrower, pseudo-line and showed our tickets again before we were unexpectedly emptied into an open street and a dozen waiting security check-points. We were told to open our coats and hand over purses. I have been more thoroughly searched at a rock concert than I was for the inauguration of the first African American president of the United States.

And then we were inside, with a front and center view of the Capitol, plenty of elbow room, and a close Jumbotron, but still freezing, with no access to food or water, and another hour or so to wait for the big moment. We were drawn to the back fence of the Silver area by the strains of the Isley Brothers’ “Shout” and thousands of cheering people. Behind another fence on the free mall, the Washington Monument in the distance, people were packed like sardines. Each sardine was frantically waving a small American flag and jumping up and down to the “We Are One” concert on the Jumbotron.

It was quite the party compared to the mellow vibe on the Silver mall, where the screens were tuned to arriving officials and celebrities: Muhammad Ali, Jay-Z and Beyonce, Senator Ted Kennedy (cheers), Senator Joseph Lieberman (boos), John Cusack, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and many more. Though there were many boos, chants, and taunts when President Bush emerged, my husband and I did not participate, and wished it hadn’t happened.

If President Obama’s speech had not been captioned on the Jumbotron, those of us on the mall would have missed most of what he said. The speakers placed down the mall echoed distractingly and rendered the speeches unintelligible, so we were forced to read them. Students and staff gathered in Forum Two that day heard the ceremony better than we did. We didn’t even notice Chief Justice John Roberts flub the oath.

While I appreciated the president’s words, for me the high point of the ceremony was the musical performance by Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Gabriela Montero, and Anthony McGill. During the song, a flock of seagulls circled in front of and above the Capitol dome and flew over the mall, as if choreographed. While the president focused on practical concerns in his rhetoric, the birds and the song (John Williams’ “Air and Simple Gifts”) soared for him.

Soon after the speech, we began to look for a way out of the mall. After so many hours in the cold, we just wanted to warm up and find food – but so did two million others.

President Bush’s helicopter flew low over the mall as we tried to find our way out of the crowd. The trash was so thick in the streets it caught around our ankles. Mounted police patrolled the crowd. It was like a disaster scene as the helicopter flew far away beyond the horizon.

Getting out of D.C. was another adventure – one that would make this blog far too long. Suffice it to say that after walking many, many more miles on highways, through tunnels, and over bridges; losing, finding, and again losing our friends; being turned away from streets and Metro stations closed by design or overcrowding; and reaching a state approaching desperation, we met a kind police officer who told us where to find an open station. After a couple of hours and a very expensive cab ride from the end of the Metro line to our hotel, we were warm and fed, enjoying the inauguration celebrations on television in the lobby of the hotel with dozens of our “Obama friends.”

I couldn’t have done it without them.

And neither could President Barack Hussein Obama.

(You can view my pictures here.)

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: WENDY KNIPE BREDHOLD, writer in News & Information Services.

As I stood on the Mall last Tuesday, surrounded by over 2 million of my fellow citizens, I couldn’t help but smile. It wasn’t a tentative smile, where the corners of your mouth turn up. It wasn’t a smile through the tears, although that was the reaction of many of the people surrounding me. No, my smile was what my father would have characterized as a “cheesy grin” – the type of smile where all of your teeth show, accompanied by the uncontrollable urge to break into hysterical laughter. Here I was, in Washington D.C., watching Chief Justice John Roberts swear in President Barack Hussein Obama, the country’s first African-American President.

I was a witness to history. (You can view a slideshow of my photos here.)

Earlier that weekend, my husband and I had spent our Sunday afternoon on a snow covered battlefield in Gettysburg. In many ways, this was the perfect place to reflect upon the magnitude of Tuesday’s inauguration ceremonies. After all, the Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Men had fought and died here – some to preserve our United States, others who firmly believed in their right to self-determination. In the background, there was always the uneasy, unanswered question of slavery. This battle set the stage for a Union victory and the eventual passage of the “Civil War” Amendments that would abolish slavery, provide citizenship to American-Americans, and enfranchise black male voters.

These Amendments, however, were not enough to secure equal rights for blacks in America. Jim Crow laws flourished throughout the south, requiring separate accommodations for whites and blacks. The 1896 court case of Plessy v. Ferguson further institutionalized the doctrine of “separate but equal,” leading to decades of discrimination against African-Americans.

Although I’m not old enough to remember the Civil Rights movement, my stepmother is. When I was growing up in Birmingham, Bonnie would tell me and my sisters about the segregated south of her childhood – from buses to movie theaters, from separate water fountains to separate bathrooms. When we would go down to the old Rickwood Field to watch our minor league baseball team, she would tell us the stories her father told her about the Black Barons, one of the Negro League teams which had played on that very field. And the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama? That bridge was named after one of Bonnie’s relatives.

Even though I wasn’t alive when Brown vs. Board of Education (1954) overturned the idea of separate but equal school facilities, the schools of my youth were operating under a desegregation order. My teenage years were seeped in the history of the civil rights movement. I learned about Bull Connor in my Alabama history class. I’ve been to Selma and to Montgomery. I have seen the jail where Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his famous letter in 1963.

Because of this, the inauguration of Barack Obama really was a personal experience. As the first African American president of the United States, he symbolizes the fact that Martin Luther King’s dream can come true. His election teaches us that while many communities still suffer from poverty and from de facto segregation, these problems can be surmounted. Now, when I tell my nephew that he can grow up to be the President of the United States, I am not lying to him.

My husband often calls me the “happy pessimist.” I’ll admit that this can be true. When you study public policy for a living, it’s easy to see the flaws in the system. The media coverage of politics can be brutal – “If it bleeds, it leads” – because it focuses on the low points of government. We talk about scandals like Governor Blagojevich allegedly selling a senate seat or disasters like the inadequate plans to evacuate New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It is a rare news story that focuses on the positive.

Yet, when I think about my experiences on Tuesday, I am not pessimistic or cynical. I was a witness to the peaceful transition of power from one political party to the next – a contrast to that snowy battlefield in Pennsylvania. I saw over 2 million people willing to face the freezing cold, the overwhelming crowds, the TSA checkpoints, and the hour long lines to ride the Metro. I’m talking about large scale political participation, something that (unfortunately) doesn’t happen that often in American politics.

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: DR. MARY HALLOCK MORRIS, assistant professor of political science and acting director of the Master of Public Administration Program.

Old man winter and his by-products of cold, snow, sleet, freezing rain, and ice have arrived in the Tri-state. Winter is probably the most difficult driving season for this area. Not only do you have snow, ice, and the other elements to deal with, but there are fewer hours of daylight as well. Winter driving can be inconvenient, annoying, tiring, even infuriating, and sometimes hazardous, but with proper preparation you can offset those aggravations and minimize the risks of winter driving.

Therefore, I offer the following winter travel tips.

Important sources of information
As a student, faculty or staff member, it is important to know where you can obtain up-to-date information on the University and related weather conditions. These sources include signing up for the University’s RAVE text messaging system to receive important information on class delays or school closings. You may also check your USI email account and the USI web page; call the University’s emergency telephone hotline: 812/ 465-1085, the Security Office: 812/464-1845; and check the local media.

Driving on snow and ice
Unless it is absolutely necessary, do not drive or make unnecessary trips in winter storms. If you must, make sure your vehicle is clear of ice and snow. Clean the windows, all lights, and windshields of snow and ice. Travel in daylight. Good vision is a key to good driving.

Allow additional time to get to your destination. Be extra alert when traveling. Match your vehicle’s speed to the road, weather conditions, and other traffic. Plan the stopping of your vehicle and keep more distance between cars. When taking off from a stopped position, do not hastily accelerate the vehicle because the tires will normally just spin and not get any traction. When stopping, do not jam on the brake because it will likely cause the car to slide. Brake gently. If possible, avoid hilly terrain. Remember snow drifts may hide obstacles or hazards. Stay on main roads. Avoid back road shortcuts. Use the designated snow routes since they will be given priority for snow or ice removal. If your vehicle has four wheel drive, use it.

Car preparation
Install good tires. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions in the Tri-state. Make sure the tires have adequate tread and proper inflation. Maintain at least half of a tank of gasoline.

Have the following items on your vehicle checked: antifreeze level, battery and ignition system, brakes, exhaust system, fuel and air filters, heater and defrost, lights and flashing hazard lights, oil, thermostat, and windshield wiper equipment.

Carry in your car a winter emergency kit consisting of the following items: a shovel, windshield scraper and small broom, flashlight, battery powered radio, extra batteries, water, snacks or quick energy food, matches, extra hats, sock, and mittens, first aid kit with pocket knife, necessary medications, blanket(s), tow chain or rope, road salt and sand, booster cables, emergency flares, and fluorescent distress flag or brightly colored cloth.

Trip preparation
Plan trips carefully. Check the weather conditions prior to leaving. Listen to media reports or call law enforcement agencies for the latest road conditions. Let someone know your travel plans, such as destination, route, and when you expect to arrive. If possible, don’t travel alone. If you have a cell phone or two-way radio, keep your battery charged and keep it with you while traveling.

If your vehicle becomes stuck
If you can, pull off the highway on to the shoulder. Turn on hazard lights and hang a distress flag or brightly colored cloth from the radio antenna or window. Remain with your vehicle where rescuers are mostly likely to find you. Use your cell phone or two-way radio to call for assistance. Run the heater about 10 minutes each hour to keep warm. Keep the exhaust pipe clear so fumes won’t back up in the car and open a downward window slightly to let in fresh air. Turn the overhead light on at night when running the vehicle so that you can be seen. As you sit, exercise by moving your hands and feet to keep blood circulating and to stay warm. Drink fluids to avoid dehydration and eat snacks for energy. Be careful not to waste battery power such as operating the car radio, lights, and heater except when absolutely necessary.

Confidence
Prior to the arrival of winter weather, I believe most people, students and non-students, prepare minimally or at least take some steps for winter weather driving. Typically, it’s not until after the first winter storm arrives that people realize what few preparations have been made. Most young drivers tend to be overconfident when driving in winter weather conditions. I think this happens because they have not yet experienced operating a vehicle in winter weather conditions, have not had a traffic accident, and believe that they are invincible and nothing is going to happen to them.

The majority of these tips are not exclusive for winter driving conditions, but can be utilized for everyday traveling.

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: STEPHEN WOODALL, director of Security.

It is that time again- the New Year! A new year for many people means making resolutions. We have all done it – optimistically decided to get fit, manage stress, eat right, stop smoking, etc., only to give up before the end of January. There are many reasons we fail. But if you have decided to make a change in the New Year, here are a few tips to help you make this year a success:

• Choose a resolution that is meaningful to you. Many of us choose a goal because we feel we “need” to, not “want” to. Choose something that you really desire, not something that you “should” do or that you think will please someone else.

• Research your options and make a plan. For example, don’t try to quit smoking cold turkey without a plan. Look for a smoking cessation group or talk to your physician about prescription or over-the-counter medications that might help.

• Be realistic. Don’t set yourself up for failure by making your goal unattainable. For example, running a marathon on February 1 would be unrealistic for someone that is currently sedentary. A more realistic goal might be to achieve 30 minutes of moderate activity several days each week. Build on that weekly or monthly.

• Take small steps. Set a realistic goal and then break that goal into smaller ones. For example, if the goal is to lose 30 pounds, don’t try to lose 10 pounds the first week. Realistic weight loss is about one to two pounds per week. Break up your 30 pound goal into four to five pounds of weight loss per month.

• Share your resolution with a positive friend or family member. Choose a person that will support and encourage you, not nag you.

• Reward yourself. Celebrate even small successes by doing something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution. Get a massage, go to a movie with a friend, or buy that new CD you’ve been wanting.

• Expect to fall off the wagon. Learn from your mistakes and don’t beat yourself up. Prepare for setbacks and have a plan to get back on track as soon as possible.

If you have a fitness-related resolution, the Recreation, Fitness, and Wellness department can help - for free! We have something for almost anyone. If you are new to exercise and don’t know where to begin, or if you have been exercising and are looking for a change, schedule a fitness consultation. One of our student fitness consultants can design an exercise program just for you. We offer a wide range of group exercise classes: low intensity, stress relieving Tai Chi, Yoga, Pilates, water body sculpting, step, cardio kick, etc. We even offer a couple of dance classes - hip hop and Zumba! We offer several incentive programs. You can participate and get free stuff! If you enjoy competition and athletic activities, checkout our intramural and special events schedule.

For more information, visit our website at www.usi.edu/rfw. Let us help you get started on the right foot!

POST CONTRIBUTED BY: STEPHANIE WALDEN-SCHWAKE, assistant director of Recreation, Fitness, and Wellness.