“RIGHT JAB AND MIDDLE JAB AND LEFT JAB” DECEMBER 12, 2020
Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jabâ€Â was created because we have a couple of commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE†or “Readers Forumâ€Â columns concerning National or International issues.
The majority of our “IS IT TRUE†columns are about local or state issues, so we have decided to give our more opinionated readers exclusive access to our newly created “LEFT JAB and Middle Jab and RIGHT JAB† column. They now have this post to exclusively discuss national or world issues that they feel passionate about.
We shall be posting the “LEFT JAB†AND “MIDDLE JAB†AND “RIGHT JABâ€Â several times a week.  Oh, “LEFT JAB†is a liberal view, “MIDDLE JAB†is the libertarian view and the “RIGHT JAB is representative of the more conservative views. Also, any reader who would like to react to the written comments in this column is free to do so.
EPA Announces $17.7 Million in Grants to Support Water Systems Rural and Small Communities
“One of EPA’s top priorities is ensuring that Americans have safe drinking water, regardless of their zip code,â€Â said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “The Trump Administration is helping small water systems—especially those in rural areas—get the training and technical assistance they need to support their communities.â€
Small water systems often face unique financial and operational challenges, including aging infrastructure, workforce shortages, increasing costs, and declining rate bases. EPA’s grant funding will be used by nonprofit organizations to provide training and technical assistance to small public water systems, small wastewater systems, and private well owners across the country. Specifically, funding will help small systems achieve and maintain compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act and the Clean Water Act and improve operational performance. It will also help inform private drinking water well owners about strategies to continue protecting their drinking water supply.
Eligible applicants for this competitive agreement are nonprofit organizations, nonprofit private universities and colleges, and public institutions of higher education. The application period for these competitive grants is now open. Questions about applying for EPA funding for training and technical assistance must be received by February 2, 2021, and applications must be received by 11:59pm EST on February 12, 2021. EPA expects to award these cooperative agreements by Summer 2021 and encourages all eligible organizations who have an interest in these projects to apply.
USI Theatre presents It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Just in time for the holidays, the University of Southern Indiana Theatre is delighted to present It’s A Wonderful Life: A Life Radio Play. This version of It’s A Wonderful Life has been adapted from the movie by Joe Landry and is directed by Elliot Wasserman. The play has been recorded and will premiere on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 in a “video on demand” format. This means that you can watch our students perform anytime, anywhere, from the comfort of your own home!  The video will be available from December 16-23, 2020.
It’s A Wonderful Life: A Life Radio Play takes the well-loved story of George Bailey from the cinematic screen to inside a 1940s radio station in the format of a live radio play production. The story’s multitude of characters are portrayed by only five actors who use vocal nuances and the occasional prop to bring them all to life. In the background, true to radio plays of the time, a sound effects man, professionally called a foley artist, diligently creates the audio needed in time with the play.
Wasserman will be joined by a design team including USI faculty member Paul Weimer as scenic designer; USI staff member Joshua Stallings as sound and lighting designer; USI staff member Shan Jensen as costume designer; USI staff member Andy Hammond as technical designer; USI student Hadin Hart as production stage manager; and Charles Schefer as cinematic consultant.
The cast of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Life Radio Play includes USI students Zayed Braikat, Easton Crisp, Perci Hale, Noah Harrison, Nate Jenkins, Grace Koltz, Trevor Maxey, Samantha Stevens, and Noah Stiles.
Tickets are $2 for USI students, $10 for USI employees and alumni, $4 for non-USI students, $10 seniors (60+), and $12 for adults. To purchase tickets or for more information visit USI.edu/liberal-arts/usi-theatre. Follow us on Facebook at USITheatre and Instagram @USI_theatre for updates and photos.
Mielke Officially Signs With Screaming Eagles
Mielke, a senior this season at Downers Grove North High School (Downers Grove, Illinois), averaged 13.0 points and 6.6 rebounds per game for the Downers Grove North Trojans as a junior last season. He also earned All-Conference honors last spring, shooting 39 percent from beyond the arc and 76 percent from the stripe, and played AAU for Breakaway.
“USI is excited to announce the signing of Jack Mielke,” said Gouard. “He is an athletic forward who plays with a lot of toughness and grit.
“Jack is an elite-level shooter and will be great in our ball-screen motion offense,” continued Gouard. “He has a very high IQ and has the ability to impact the game in so many ways. USI is pleased to welcome Jack and his family to the Screaming Eagle family.”
The Eagles return to action Saturday when they host McKendree University at 3:15 p.m. at Screaming Eagles Arena.
ADOPT A PET
Loki is a 56-lb. goofball! He’s a male mixed-breed who loves to play. Check him out in mid-air! His adoption fee is $110 and includes his neuter, microchip, vaccines, and more. Visit www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt for details!
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ADOPT A PET
Zelda is a female torbie cat! She’s just over a year old. She was born as an outdoor kitten until the local woman feeding her colony, trapped Zelda for spay + adoption. Now she’s available at River Kitty Cat Café! Her $40 adoption fee includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, and more. Visit www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt for details! [photo is the one starting with “VAN-Aâ€]
JUST IN: UE Faculty Face Devastating Cuts
UE Faculty Face Devastating Cuts
Daniel Byrne, Secretary-Treasurer UEAAUP, ueaaup@gmail.com
Evansville— 12/11/20 — The President of the University of Evansville, Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, yesterday unveiled a plan that will cut essential departments, majors, and faculty members. The three departments to be eliminated entirely are Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Music, and Philosophy and Religion. In addition to the twelve majors within those departments, five more will be cut: Art History, History, Physics, Political Science, and Spanish. Faculty will be released from all five of those departments. There will also be losses in Biology, Chemistry, English and Creative Writing, and Math. In total, 38 Faculty members will lose their jobs: thirty-two in the College of Arts and Sciences and six in the School of Engineering and Computer Science.
In offering his plan, the President repeatedly referred to it as a “draft†and said that nothing has been decided as of yet. At the same time, he also pointed out that “impacted†Faculty members will be given 18-months notice and that such Faculty members will be meeting with the Provost, Dr. Michael Austin, “over the next couple of days.†Furthermore, the President noted several times that Faculty members will be given numerous opportunities “over the course of the next couple of weeks†to provide “questions and answers and comments and recommendations.†Yet, when asked if the Faculty, the Senate or any committee thereof would ever vote on the proposed plan, the President’s entire response was: “We would love the input of the faculty in general and if it comes as individual recommendations, if it comes as group recommendations, we’re happy for all of them.â€
The President’s approach to program change constitutes a serious and substantial breach of the university’s shared governance structure. Within that structure, the role of the faculty is clearly defined: “Faculty, acting with the President, determine all matters of educational policy with respect to academic programs including degree requirements, honorary degrees, curriculum changes, academic standards.â€
Determination is not “questions and answers and comments and recommendations.†Determination is voting. This is why the Faculty Senate has a Curriculum Committee that votes on program changes and then submits approved changes to the Senate for its endorsement. The President’s plan offers no recognition of the Faculty’s primary responsibility for educational policy.
We, the Faculty, deeply oppose the coming cuts and will fight them until they are withdrawn. Above and beyond the Faculty members who will lose their jobs, those cuts will also significantly harm the university’s staff, its administrators, and, most importantly, its students. As the President noted yesterday, the university’s “foundation†is its ability to offer a “well-rounded education†to each and every student. The coming cuts will remove departments and majors and so limit students’ major and course options. Those cuts will also necessarily result in a substantial contraction of the university’s General Education program. Every student at the university participates in this program and so every student will be affected.
We call upon students, staff members, administrators, alumni, board members, and everyone in the Evansville community to stand with us in fighting these cuts. The time has come to Save UE. Let’s do it!
To learn more:
• Visit our website at saveue.com • Follow us on Facebook at Save UE
• Follow us on Twitter at @Save_UE • Follow us on Instagram at save.ue
• E-mail us at ueaaup@gmail.com
HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES STATEWIDE COVID-19 CASE COUNTS
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