Bill Ayers involved in Girl Talk good at Argus staff discusses No rest for the weary: more controversy pressing buttons Chapel Hour IWU cross country Conversations NEWS, P. 2 FEATURES, P. 6 OP/ED, P. 8 SPORTS, P. 11 www.iwu.edu/~theargus Volume 117 | Issue 4 October 1, 2010 Book Bike comes to Bloomington-Normal community HANNAH GRIFFIN will now take the bike to the hoods and refresh our ties to one STAFF REPORTER streets of Bloomington-Normal, another.” Tricked out with book shelving handing out free books donated by Organizing the Book Bike has and weighing close to 200 pounds, the Bloomington Public Library already encouraged a communi- the Book Bike may be a little dif- and community residents. ty effort. The WBRP received donations of books, money and ficult to maneuver, but the West “The Book Bike fits in very Bloomington Revitalization Proj- well with the mission of the time – even the bike’s book - carrier was custom-made and ect (WBRP) and its volunteers are WBRP: education, youth, green ready for the challenge. ing and sustainability,” University donated by Unique Design of The goal of the Book Bike, a Librarian and WBRP board mem- Normal. project that originated in Chicago ber Karen Schmidt said. Several other members of the in the summer of 2008, is to help The WBRP hopes that this Illinois Wesleyan community everyone have a personal book project will make both adults and are involved with Book Bike in children excited to read as well as addition to Schmidt, including collection. The WBRP unveiled their version of the Book Bike spark relationships among com- Information Literacy Librarian last Saturday at the Family Fun munity members. Schmidt said Chris Sweet, Coordinator of the Action Research Center Debo- Fall Festival, held at the Westside the project reflects the WBRP’s Community Garden. commitment “to individual con- rah Halperin and senior soccer nections that strengthen neighbor- player Sean Gower. The WBRP and its volunteers ERINN TOBIN/THE ARGUS Left: Volunteers for the West Bloomington Revitalization Project (WBRP) will ride the Book Bike around Bloomington-Normal giving out free books to adults and children. Above: These and more books are available on the Book Bike. They were donated by the Bloomington Public Library and community residents. Students share, learn at MUSE Literature Conference NICOLE TRAVIS sors.” ed Nations from 1972 to 1981. EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Student papers were sorted Waldheim became president of Thirteen undergraduate stu- into four categories by topic, and Austria in 1986, but his career dents took a different take on each reading was followed by a was shrouded by a scandal re- Saturday morning last week. brief Q-and-A session. garding suggestions throughout English majors from Illinois Following an informal pizza his memoir that he had been dis- lunch, University of Chicago honest about his participation in Wesleyan, Carthage College and Professor of English Srikanth Wheaton College gathered in a Wehrmacht unit during World the Center for Natural Science Reddy delivered his keynote War II. Toward the end of the to present papers at the annual speech, “Writing and Erasure: year, this unit slaughtered citi- MUSE Undergraduate Literature Notes on ‘Voyager’” to a group zens in the Balkans. of about 20 listeners. “Voyager” Reddy said that he crossed out Conference. Illinois Wesleyan’s Alpha Eta Pi chapter of the Eng- is the tile of Reddy’s book of po- language in the autobiography to lish honors society Sigma Tau etry that will be released in the get to what was behind the text. Delta hosted the conference. spring. “The result resembled poetry,” “It was a brand-new experi- In his speech, Reddy detailed he said. ence for me,” said senior Eng- the practice of erasure that he “I wanted to find something lish major Amy Bannon, who is used to write “Voyager.” In beautiful in something that was also studying secondary educa- this process, the writer deletes totally not beautiful. It’s not tion and pursuing a dance minor. words, sentences and even para- even ugly. It’s totally neutral.” “I was very intimidated coming graphs from an already-pub- Reddy likened the experience into it, but afterward I was very lished work. of erasing Waldheim’s words to grateful for the opportunity to Reddy practiced erasure on Dante’s experience being led MARY QUINLIVAN/THE ARGUS learn and talk about literature the memoir of Kurt Waldheim, through the underworld by Vir- Srikanth Reddy, professor of English at the University of Chicago, delivers his with other students and profes- Austrian diplomat and fourth keynote speech, “Writing and Erasure: Notes on ‘Voyager,’” at IWU’s MUSE Secretary-General of the Unit- SEE MUSE, P. 3 Literature Conference on Saturday, Sept. 25. 2 NEWS OCTOBER 1, 2010 Ayers denied emeritus status ANNA ROSSI the Weather Underground, a rad- Barack Obama on a school-re- NEWS EDITOR ical anti-war organization during form initiative, which led some Elementary education theorist the Vietnam War era. to accuse Obama of sanctioning and Vietnam War protester Bill As a member, Ayers bombed terrorist activity. Ayers was also Ayers stirred up a controversy the U.S. Capital Building in one of three co-authors of the at Illinois Wesleyan last spring 1971, the Pentagon in 1972, the Chicago Annenberg Challenge when he came to grant proposal that speak at the Uni- received $49.2 mil- versity. The con- lion to study public troversy contin- school reform. Natural Science Colloquia Se- Career Center Event ues, as Ayers was Immediately be- ries From 2-4:30 on Monday, Oct. 4th, denied emeritus fore the vote on the Come check out this presentation Students may drop by the Hart faculty status at reform initiative today at 4 p.m. in the Center for Career Center between 2 and 4:30 the University was taken at the Natural Science room C101. Ti- p.m. on Monday, Oct. 4, to have of Illinois, where University of Il- tled “Adaptive modulation of cow- their resumes reviewed in prepara- he has been an linois board meet- bird host defensive behavior in re- tion for the upcoming internship education facul- ing, Christopher lation to its cost and the likelihood and job fairs. ty member since Kennedy, son of of parasitism,” this presentation 1987. Senator Robert F. will feature alumnus and Professor Free Kaplan Practice Tests After his re- Kennedy and board Brian Peer. Professor of Biology Register today at kaptest.com/ tirement on Aug. chair, gave a speech Given Harper will host the event. practice or 1-800-KAP-TEST to 31, Ayers sought about the Ayers’ re- take any of the free tests listed be- the emeritus fac- quest for emeritus Environmental author to visit low tomorrow, Oct. 2. ulty status, which status. Kennedy re- campus MCAT: 10:15 a.m. to 3 is a title of privi- peatedly mentioned IWU alumna Sandra Steingraber p.m. in the Center for Natu- lege that profes- how it would defy will visit campus on Monday, ral Science room C102 sors may request his conscience to Oct. 18, from noon to 1 p.m. in LSAT: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. in the Cen- upon retirement vote in favor of the Hansen Student Center. Stein- ter for Natural Science room C101 after working for Ayers attaining the graber, a cancer survivor, is author GMAT: 12 p.m. online a university for a emeritus faculty of the environmental book “Liv- GRE: 9:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Illi- number of years. status. ing Downstream,” which exam- nois State University, Schroeder This status often “I am guided by ines the link between cancer and Hall, room 130. gives the profes- PHOTO COURTESY OF STUDENTVOICESU.WORDPRESS.COM my conscience and the environment. During her visit sors continued Bill Ayers, a recently retired professor from the University of Illinois one which has been to campus, she will promote the Merwin and Wakeley Galleries access to the uni- and an anti-war radical, was denied emeritus status this week. formed by a series book’s documentary, which will From Oct. 5 through Nov. 4, versity facilities of experiences, play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. IWU’s Merwin and Wakeley Gal- and the possibility of having an San Francisco Police Department many of which have been shared 13, in Beckman Auditorium and leries will feature the metalwork of office on campus. Park Station and several other with the people of our country at 1 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Normal Kim Cridler and the photography Ayers aroused a scandal public buildings. Federal charges and mark each of us in a pro- Theater. Both Steingraber and the of IWU Professor Kevin Strand- among IWU students and parents against Ayers were eventually found way,” Kennedy told the film’s director will be available at berg. The galleries are located in last year due to his controversial dropped. these showings for a Q-and-A ses- the Joyce Eichhorn Ames School past. He was the co-founder of In later years, he worked with SEE AYERS P. 3 sion. Tickets are $8, and can be of Art Building. Regular hours for purchased at www.brownpaper- the galleries are Monday through tickets.com/event/126321. Friday from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday evenings from 7 p.m. to Upcoming events in the School of Music Alzheimer’s Fundraiser 9 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday The Bloomington-Normal Mem- from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ory Walk for the Alzheimer’s As- All events during the month of October will be held in the sociation is tomorrow from 8 a.m.