Ball State's virtual campus was listed as one of the top places to visit on b-places.com. Created by Brussels Airlines, b-places.com is used to access Second Life locations. Visitors can browse through locations and are taken to their chosen destination by clicking a mouse. Users can stroll around the scenery and chat with different users. 

David Bahlmann, president and chief executive of the Ball State University Foundation

Bahlmann was quoted April 10 by Investment News about the restriction lifts on spending "underwater" endowments.

An underwater endowment means that the current market value of the endowment is below what it was when it was given to the institution.

Several states are allowing institutions to spend underwater endowments if the purchase is prudent.

An increase in donations of individual stocks has put many endowments at the mercy of the stock market. This sent 54 percent of educational endowments underwater.

"It caused a significant amount of confusion and angst in the field as to how to deal with these funds," Bahlmann said.

Michael Hicks, director of the Bureau of Business Research

Hicks was quoted by The News-Sentinel April 7 about the economic plan of Jill Long Thompson, who is running for Indiana governor. The economic plan would divide the state's 92 counties into three economic tiers. Tier one counties would be the most economically distressed and tier three would be the most prosperous. The tiers would be determined by the county's unemployment rate, median household income, population growth and assessed property value per capita. 

Each tier would develop tax incentives for non-retail businesses.

"Tax incentives are near the bottom of importance in firm-location decisions," Hicks said.

Hicks also said the candidate's plan would run counter to a recent trend toward regional economic development.

Todd Trappe, associate professor of physical education

Trappe was quoted April 13 by the Chicago Tribune about the recent study by the Human Performance Laboratory.

The study proves that a daily dose of ibuprofen or acetaminophen will increase muscle mass and strength in elderly men and women who participate in weight training.

"It's surprising," Trappe said. "But the bottom line is that you would have to search pretty long and hard to find anything that would demonstrate the strong and positive effect on muscle growth that we observed. And I certainly don't think you're going to find it an anything that's non-prescription."