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UCHICAGO FOR FAIR TUITION ENDS STRIKE, CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED

MAY 27, 2020 EIGHTH WEEK VOL. 132, ISSUE 27

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Immunoengineering Center Investigates COVID-19 Vaccine Possibilities

By DAKSH CHAUHAN News Reporter The Chicago Immunoengineering Innovation Center (CIIC) was founded in February to bring together translational immunology researchers and promote immunoengineering technology at the University. Translational immunology is the science of applying immunological discoveries to clinical and human problems. The center has begun research on immunotherapy and therapies for diseases, including cancer and COVID-19. In addition, the CIIC aims to work closely with the Polsky Center to bring together corporate partners for the development and licensing of technologies.

“For the traditional research steps, government research grants suffice, but final stages of testing a new therapy can be very expensive and can require additional funding,” Shann Yu, scientific director of the CIIC, said. “Collaborations with corporate partners and entrepreneurs can provide our researchers with the very needed resources.”

Research at the CIIC includes cancer immunotherapy and therapies for fruit allergies. But recently, the CIIC has focused a large effort toward COVID-19 research. Currently, there are projects for creating a vaccine for the disease led

by Jeffrey Hubbell and Melody Swartz, codirectors of the center.

“The vaccine projects harmoniously bring together the resources of Pritzker CONTINUED ON PG. 2

ARTS: Fourth-year Shares Thesis on Video Games as a Tool Used by the Military to Normalize Violence.

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Caroline Kubzansky

Vendors Adapt as Shelter-in-Place Order Impacts 61st St. Farmers Market

By YIWEN LU Senior News Reporter Launched by the Experimental Station in 2008, the 61st Street Farmers Market has provided Woodlawn, Hyde Park, and surrounding South Side neighborhoods with affordable fresh produce for 12 seasons.

This year, however, residents are unable to attend the Saturday outdoor market kickoff of its traditional season due to the ongoing pandemic.

Since the start of Chicago and the state of Illinois’s shelter-in-place order in March, the Farmers Market has

asked its vendors to transform their operations in order to accommodate a virtual marketplace. “ We asked our vendors to have some systems [to implement online sales]; some of them have chosen to use apps, some of them are just as simple as having folks email them,” Wendy Zeldin said, the market manager of the Farmers Market.

The Farmers Market has compiled a list of resources on their website to provide community members with information on how they can continue to support and purchase goods from Farmers Market vendors.

VIEWPOINTS: Optional Pass/ Fail Deepens Inequities Between Students Under Quarantine

SPORTS: New to Running?

Learn the Essential Runner’s Etiquette.

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Stephanie Dunn, the executive director of Chicago-based urban farm Star Farm, told The Maroon that farmers’ markets have been supportive of vendors like them.

“They ’ve really had our backs,” Dunn said. “All I heard from the market managers that I worked with was [them] trying to see what works for you, what we are trying to do to get this back up and running…and [they] also bring food to the neighborhoods that their markets are in.”

Besides delivering local produce, Star Farm also continues to operate CONTINUED ON PG. 4

ARTS: Lenny Bruce: Comedy and Censorship

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THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot Says Coronavirus Will Not Impede Her Goals for Economic Equality

By KATE MABUS Senior News Reporter In the months since stay-at-home orders went into effect, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has risen to prominence for her prompt and strict enforcement of public health measures. After closing the lakefront in May, Chicagoans took to social media to express their opinions through memes.

In a conversation with David Axelrod as part of his The Axe Files podcast series, Lightfoot said she isn’t active on digital platforms herself but has worked with her creative team to use social media platforms, including TikTok, as a way to share public health advisories.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many aspects of normal life, Lightfoot said that her political goals are not affected by the economic constraints of the pandemic. “We’re not going to solve the problem [of inequality] in its entirety in the arc of this virus, but we’ve got to accelerate the plans that we previously had and start to address these long-standing problems,” Lightfoot said.

Lightfoot campaigned off a platform to end poverty in Chicago and

has focused the beginning of her term toward achieving “inclusive growth” with economic policies that benefit all of Chicago’s neighborhoods, including the most vulnerable. Lightfoot claims this is necessary to fulfill the vision of the global city she and her constituents envision.

“We have to continue to speak our values even in these tough economic times. If we shed and move away from those communities that are most in need right now, we’re giving up on huge swaths of Chicago,” Lightfoot said.

Lightfoot stressed the importance of being “responsive and close to the ground” in vulnerable and marginalized neighborhoods by embracing community partners, empowering through information, and providing greater access to health care.

Axelrod pointed out that, in many ways, COVID-19 has exposed the “fault lines” of Chicago’s racial and economic inequalities. He noted that the same communities that struggle in normal times are usually the first to fail in times of crisis, a phenomenon that is reflected in the incoming data that shows disproportionate tolls on Chicago’s Black communities.

Yet, Axelrod questioned the practi-

cality of fighting poverty at a time when the City itself has such constrained economic resources. Chicago has received federal aid from Congress and through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, but Lightfoot has claimed it is not enough.

Partnerships are crucial, she said, to support the City’s projects through investments and funding. “We can’t do these things and move the needle in a meaningful way without partnerships of the philanthropy community, but also the business community,” Lightfoot said.

According to Lightfoot, one of the most crucial challenges Chicago faces is organizing and providing testing, which is necessary to control the virus and to begin to reopen the city. Lightfoot attributed the disorder around testing to the Trump administration’s negligence, calling it a “terrible indictment of the federal response,” which she says has been halted and nominal.

“They weren’t bringing us into a lot of the early things that were necessary [for what] they were dictating that had to be operationalized at the local level,” Lightfoot said.

Plans to reopen the city are in the works, but Lightfoot says that any

option would involve a gradual readjustment and continued precautions, namely wearing masks, social distancing, and limiting group size. Lightfoot explained that her method is to “play to the lowest common denominator,” in other words, someone who would ignore social distancing guidelines. “What do we do to keep that person safe and minimize the risk that they’re going to pose to other people?” Lightfoot said.

With the weather warming and the summer season around the corner, Lightfoot is working with the public health department on plans to open parks and outdoor venues. “We as humans and, I think, certainly as Americans, take our physical liberty very seriously…. Our city is really built around having fun recreational and entertainment options; that’s one of the things that makes Chicago special.”

However, according to Lightfoot, even with plans in the works, the lakefront will not open anytime soon.

Lightfoot also mentioned the possibility of resuming sporting events, although likely without a stadium audience, and opening schools this fall through a combination of virtual and in-person classes.

“Licensing of technologies from the PME and CIIC will be a joint process involving researchers at every level of discussion.”

CONTINUED FROM COVER

School of Molecular Engineering and medical centers across the country,” Hubbell said.

Hubbell is leading a COVID-19 vaccine project at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) and has clinical collaborators for future testing at Harvard Medical School. Other CIIC COVID-19 projects include a study on COVID-19–related acute respiratory distress syndrome, which results in pneumonia and inflammation in the lungs. This project is a collaboration

between the PME and the Section of Rheumatology at UChicago Medicine.

Other vaccination projects at the CIIC include vaccines to prevent cancer and the development of food allergies. Cathryn Nagler, a professor at the PME, focuses on therapies against food and nut allergies. Nagler has been doing this work prior to the formation of the CIIC, raising over $3.5 million in funding in 2018 to build her own startup, ClostraBio. According to Hubbell, the CIIC aims to encourage the growth of PME’s re-

search into entrepreneurial and investor spaces, just as Nagler has done with her research. Both Hubbell and Yu expect to have the Polsky Center be involved in promoting this type of entrepreneurial spirit.

“In addition to building partnerships with the Polsky Center to commercialize the technologies, we are trying to build internships as well for graduate students,” Yu said.

While Hubbell expects the new center to have close contacts with the Polsky Center, licensing of technologies from

the PME and CIIC will be a joint process involving researchers at every level of discussion. “The principal investigators will take active roles for licensing and in discussions while Polsky will be involved in business development and legal talks with investors,” Hubbell said.

The establishment of the CIIC adds to the growing biotechnology community in Chicago, and the center will certainly be involved in further fundraising efforts to grow its operations. “We are excited to pursue our vision of creating a great ecosystem for immunoengineering

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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Financial RSOs Hosted Inaugural UChicago Investing Forum via Zoom

By DIMITRIY LEKSANOV Senior News Reporter Several investment-focused RSOs, including The Blue Chips Club (TBC), Maroon Capital, and Learning to Fly (LTF) Ventures hosted the inaugural UChicago Investing Forum during the week of April 11 through April 18.

The virtual forum featured workshops and panel discussions on topics such as private equity investing, investment research, and venture capital.

Guests included Alex Fitch, an associate director of U.S. research at Harris Associates; Chris McGowan, an adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at the Chicago Booth School of Business; and Michael Vander Roest (M.B.A. ’16), vice president of Baird Principal Group.

The forum opened and closed with “Fireside Chats” from Steven Kaplan, Neubauer Family Distinguished Professor of Entrepreneurship and Finance at Booth, and Steve Strongin (A.B. ’79, A.M. ’82), a senior advisor at Goldman Sachs, respectively.

At the closing Fireside Chat on April 18, Strongin addressed several contemporary issues. When asked about ongoing discussions about reopening businesses during the coronavirus pandemic, Strongin said, “There is no economic program that’s going to tell you to open a bar in a major city…. You have to answer the medical question.”

On the topic of potential long-term effects of the pandemic, Strongin predicted that the health-care industry would place more of a focus on managing “peak load” in hospitals. He also said that

people may emerge from the pandemic with opposing views on caution and temperance, saying that some may become increasingly “risk-averse,” while others will look to “live life to the fullest.”

Originally, the forum was slated to take place on April 11 as a full-day, in-person event with short face-to-face Q&A sessions following each workshop and panel discussion at Booth. However, with concerns about the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the forum was instead moved to a weeklong series of dispersed events, all taking place over Zoom.

Events largely followed a lecture-style format. While face-to-face interaction was not possible, several events, such as the venture capital workshop hosted by LTF Ventures, featured visual aids and other special features, such as slideshows, screen-sharing, and case studies. Each event also concluded with a Q&A session, either consisting of questions read aloud by audience members, or submitted through an input feature in Zoom.

When asked about the decision to spread the forum out over a week, Agnay Mohindra, fourth-year student in the College and senior board member for the forum, said that it had to do with concerns about audience engagement: “We thought that that would increase engagement, as somebody is less likely to stay engaged for, like, nine hours in a row. So, we made it a daily thing.”

Third-year Brandon Bleyer, president of TBC, echoed these concerns, saying, “The main problem I have with Zoom seminars is that you lose the instantaneous human feedback. It’s difficult to

know how the audience responds or if they comprehend the information that I’m sharing.”

However, Bleyer also said that the online platform may have facilitated engagement. “I appreciate how [Zoom] allows people to join from anywhere,” he said. “[It] definitely increased the event’s accessibility.”

On the topic of maximizing audience engagement, Mohindra discussed an attempt to leave ample time for Q&A sessions, as well as an effort to check in with panelists before each event about engagement and interactivity: “The panelists joined [the Zoom event] like, five, 10 minutes before, and we discussed with them how things were going.”

When asked about the logistics of moving to a weeklong, online format, Mohindra said that, while preliminary discussions about changing the format began roughly six to eight weeks prior to the forum, the final decision was made during spring break, once the gravity of the pandemic was known.

“Things were still unclear before spring break,” Mohindra said. “Initially, our plan was that maybe the first 100 attendees get to come to Booth, and then the rest of it would be virtual…. During spring break, when we realized that basically, there would be no one on campus and Booth was closed, we were forced to move it online.”

Mohindra also said that because the events were independent of one another, the transition to a weeklong format was relatively seamless.

“There were no real [logistical] Links between any of the events. The venture

capital workshop had no bearing on the quantitative finance workshop, the quant workshop had no bearing on the value investing workshop…. They were individualized, which is why we were able to have an event a day,” said Mohindra.

“If it were more Linked…like the panels follow on from each other, then it would have been impossible, in my opinion.”

In particular, Mohindra credited fourth-year College student and forum cofounder Henry Gao with ensuring that the events were independent of one another, allowing this transition to be logistically feasible.

Despite the relative success of the event, Mohindra said that “nothing can replace an in-person forum.”

“The forum is not only a chance for students to learn, but it’s also a chance for students and panelists to meet each other,” he continued. “Even for the panelists, they want to interact with people in the same industry as them. They want to expand their network, and I think [quarantine adds] a huge challenge to that.”

Specifically, Mohindra mentioned that plans originally included opportunities for panelists and other guests to meet between sessions in order to interact and network. However, this became impossible with the long-distance format.

However, despite saying a live, single-day forum would be “more effective” in his opinion, he also said that he was “very pleasantly surprised at the engagement,” especially during the Q&A sessions.

Admissions Office Gets TikTok

By OLIVIA CHILKOTI News Reporter On April 3, UChicago Admissions posted its first TikTok. The inaugural video recreates the intro montage to the sitcom Full House, introducing Dean of Admissions Jim Nondorf and Director of Undergraduate Admissions Peter Wilson, along with

several student staffers.

The Chinese video-sharing platform, which was launched in America in August of 2018, has over 800 million users. As of May 25, the UChicago admissions account has 15 videos, with 474 followers and 1,496 likes.

UChicago appears to be one of few institutions with an official admissions account,

an honor shared by George Washington University, Western Michigan University, and the University of California, Irvine.

Other videos include attempts to recreate dishes from Bartlett dining hall, and RSO spotlights featuring groups like Maya, a contemporary fusion dance RSO, the Ransom Notes a cappella group, and UC Cheer.

Many videos include remote submis-

sions from students living at home during quarantine and footage of past events on campus, such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s September 2019 visit. Most of the videos seem to be geared toward sharing the on-campus experience with applicants who cannot visit due to the pandemic.

The admissions office did not respond to a request for comment.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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UChicago for Fair Tuition Ends Tuition Strike as SSA Student Joins Class Action Lawsuit Against UChicago and Other Universities

By AVI WALDMAN Senior News Reporter UChicago for Fair Tuition (UCFT) ended its tuition strike Monday, May 18, citing a desire to “regroup and focus on building long-term power.” The strike lasted two and a half weeks, and approximately 200 students participated, according to UCFT. In a statement provided to The Maroon, UCFT emphasized that its demand for a tuition freeze had been met, and that the campaign had succeeded in shifting the conversation around the

cost of higher education.

“We have truly reshaped the narrative around tuition at UChicago,” wrote fourth-year UCFT founder Anna Attie. “We’ve helped so many people see that higher education shouldn’t be treated as a commodity, that Universities should prioritize students and staff over prestige.”

Arica Kincheloe, a graduate student in the School of Social Service Administration, has signed on as a plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against a number of universities, at the invitation of students from Columbia University who are suing their own institution.

Kincheloe expressed disappointment with the refusal of University administrators to engage with UCFT during the tuition strike, and said she hopes legal action can accomplish goals similar to the campaign’s demands.

“The campaign was about upholding the commitment to financial need that the University agreed to meet,” Kincheloe said. “Through the lawsuit myself and members of the campaign are looking for the University to acknowledge and be held accountable for the students it professes to support, and generally trying to require UChicago to reimburse students for tuition

they paid when they’re not able to fully utilize the services and the quality of education.”

UCFT stated that it will continue to organize against the rising cost of tuition, and will work with student organizers at universities across the country in order to do so. In a recent meeting, organizers discussed possible future projects, including pushing for greater transparency in the financial aid process, addressing the reduced aid packages some students receive after their first year, and working with campaigns on other campuses on national issues of equity in higher education.

“The outdoor atmosphere is significantly safer than an enclosed space.”

CONTINUED FROM COVER

many of their on-site programs.

Before the pandemic, Star Farm had vocational training programs in gardening for women and youth, as well as on-site gathering opportunities for families to walk in their urban garden. Dunn told The Maroon that to keep up with these efforts, Star Farm will build small picnic areas in their garden for families to come and interact under social distancing guidelines.

“We try to keep the space as accessible as possible,” she explained. “It is important because we work with a lot of mothers and families that are impacted by domestic violence, so they need another place to go and to potentially access other services that they need through our community bulletin board.”

Although many vendors experienced seamless transitions to online sales, some producers have faced challenges as they are no longer able to interact with customers in person. Compared to prepared food and artisan products, purchasing raw fruits and vegetables online is more challenging without the sensory experiences of touching the produce and talking with the farmers at the Farmers Market, according to Zeldin.

“Also, it’s been very difficult for

our farmers to know what kind of crop schedules to keep up with and to maintain, and at what capacity,” Zeldin added. The uncertainty over the city’s decision to reopen the Farmers Market has become a challenge for local producers.

In the surrounding South Side community, many rely on the Farmers Market to access organic, healthy produce. Due to the lack of available fresh products in Woodlawn, the Farmers Market started the Link Match program that allows the use of Link cards so that community members who receive SNAP (food stamp) benefits are able to use their funds at the market.

However, Zeldin pointed out that currently, the Illinois Link card cannot be used for online purchases, making it harder for SNAP recipients to access fresh foods during the pandemic. “[Link card users] have just been put in such a rough position where they are still receiving Link funds and for some people, their Link funds have actually been increased. So they have this card with money attached to it, but they are unable to use it online.”

Zeldin explained, “It’s really the experience that has highlighted how many broken systems are in play with how SNAP is distributed and how SNAP is allowed to be utilized.”

On May 20, Governor J. B. Pritzker

and the Illinois Department of Human Services announced that starting June 2, the state will offer a new purchasing option for SNAP recipients to use their Link cards on online food purchases.

“That program is currently only in conjunction with Walmart and Amazon and has no impact on our market,” Zeldin told The Maroon.

To help both the affected population and local producers, the Experimental Station worked with Star Farm to launch a market box initiative. The project allows anyone to purchase and donate a market box made by Star Farm with locally sourced produce, eggs, and breads for community members who are incapable of purchasing the box themselves.

“So we have raised money that goes directly to local farmers, and in that way we are still supporting them during this crucial time,” Zeldin explained. “[Star Farm] is able to deliver out boxes of food to folks that sign up for the program, so that folks who have the resources to donate can donate and folk to leave the food can get a free box of food delivered right to their door without any worry about contact.”

Dunn emphasized that the project focuses on local foods and becomes a mutual aid between the community members and local producers. “It’s

not charity. We’re trying to be here for each other because we want to support them and the people that we are serving support our progress,” she said.

As of May 14, their market box initiative had received enough funding for boxes, and they plan to continue the distribution through part of June, according to Dunn.

Going for ward, farmers market managers expect to see a more direct, straightforward set of expectations from the City. Although farmers markets were deemed an essential service in the beginning of March, the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events has cancelled all city-run farmers’ markets until further notice, Chicago Tribune reported. “ With every thing that we know about how the virus is spread, the outdoor atmosphere is significantly safer than an enclosed space, so a farmers market is a significantly safer way to purchase food in this time,” Zeldin said. “Individual farmers markets around the city have all created new sets of regulations and structures for the markets to operate outdoors, because that is originally what the city asked us to implement, but we are now being told we can’t even do that.

I think that clear messaging from the City would be incredibly helpful.”

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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VIEWPOINTS Our Pass/Fail System Is Failing Us All An optional pass/fail policy exacerbates existing inequalities, and we must reevaluate it for future online quarters

By NOAH TESFAYE As I was logging off of my 7:30 a.m. Sosc class Tuesday of fifth week, I popped on The Daily podcast for May 5, 2020.

The story? About us, college students. This episode told the story of a student at Haverford College who is just weeks from graduating but was struggling immensely with finishing her thesis. She has no space in her home to study in a focused manner, and her parents’ small business is going

to have to take out loans to stay afloat. As I listened to her story, I could not help but start reevaluating how we here at UChicago have handled education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the spring quarter started, both The Maroon and the UChicago Secrets Facebook page were filled with comments about whether the University would switch to a universal pass/ fail system for spring quarter, expand opt-in pass/fail options, or resist any policy change. There

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were opinions ranging all across the spectrum. Some students wanted letter grades to ensure they would be able to still be on track for graduate school, and some were concerned that a ban on quality grades would make students less motivated. On the other end, some advocated for a universal pass/fail system because it would be more equitable to students who face disadvantages working remotely and reduce stress this quarter. Eventually, UChicago announced that the College would be implementing an optional pass/fail system for this quarter. This system involves an expansion of pass/fail options, allowing Core classes and some major requirements to be taken pass/fail on an optin basis.

But seven weeks in, optional pass/fail is showing itself to be a completely inequitable system.

In an opt-in system, students with privileges like a stable home to work from, consistent access to the internet, and the time and space in their homes for schoolwork are at a significant advantage over students that do not have these benefits.

These students are effectively forced to take classes for grades to compete with their privileged peers when they know their circumstances do not lend them success in the same way as students with more resources.

In an opt-in pass/fail system, students receive a letter grade for each course, but can opt to take their classes pass/fail. For students who are pursuing graduate degrees like medicine and law, in

which admission to a prestigious program depends heavily on undergraduate GPA, an opt-in pass/ fail system is a no pass/fail system. If students with privilege take all their classes for quality grades and receive As, they’ll be at a significant advantage in the eyes of graduate schools, who could see students who opted into taking classes pass/fail as less motivated without receiving a full picture of a student’s hardships. It is a privilege in the time of a pandemic to be able to take a class and be confident in your abilities to do well. If you are in a safe home, a place with Wi-Fi, a place where you can study productively, you are at a disproportionate advantage in an opt-in system. A common objection is that some students were counting on this quarter as an opportunity to raise their GPAs, but a system which allows only a few privileged students that opportunity is a fundamentally inequitable one. In an opt-in system, the burden now unnecessarily falls on the disadvantaged student who must explain to employers and graduate schools why they had to take a class pass/fail, whereas this could be explained in a sentence on all transcripts in a universal system by UChicago. And with more and more graduate institutions, including Harvard Medical School, announcing that they will accept future applicants with pass/fail grades on their transcripts for spring 2020 only if the grades were distributed under a universal system, it is clear that a universal pass/fail

policy this term will not harm graduate school applicants.

I will be the first to concede that I am extremely privileged in these times. I have a home where I can eat every day, have good Wi-Fi, and have space in my house where I can do work free of disruptions. Yet, even as I realize that I am not able to focus as well and be as productive given all of the good circumstances I am in, I absolutely cannot imagine how I could be a student if things were harder, had my parents lost their jobs, or had I lost a family member or friend.

Initially, when students and faculty were discussing the pass/ fail system, there was an argument brought up about students no longer trying or caring about their classes if they did not have an attached letter grade. Yet, given the unprecedented circumstances, don’t the pressures of trying to process a pandemic in many ways trump this rationale?

The idea of maintaining the intellectual vigor of UChicago is meaningless if students are overstressed in the challenges they face at home. Friends and peers of all backgrounds who normally were able to do well and excel academically on campus are not able to be the same students they were before, yet for many classes, the expectations remain the same.

Many of our peer institutions have adopted universal pass/ fail systems because they recognize that these times require unprecedented measures. Harvard listened to direct accounts CONTINUED ON PG. 6

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

6

“It is a privilege in the time of a pandemic to be able to take a class and be confident in your abilities to do well.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 5

and feedback from students, and Yale ran a complete survey of its faculty. Yet, at UChicago, administrators have not been so receptive. In an April 28 meeting with two Student Government representatives to discuss this quarter’s grading policy, Dean of Students in the College Jay Ellison said that UChicago’s decision was “purely a faculty decision” and that “students do not make decisions about how we assess them,” according to the meeting notes. Ellison also noted that there would be no survey of the complete student

body because “survey assumes a majority rule, and that’s not how this works.” No one is asking the institution to let the students make this decision, but to not take into consideration or hear fully from the student body the way our peer institutions have does a disservice to the whole campus community.

So even when all of these concerns and factors were present for us to evaluate whether a universal pass/fail system was viable, what has remained through the past six weeks is one thing: the stigma around pass/fail.

UChicago has continued in a

pandemic to retain its position that a pass is equivalent to a C(Ellison said this in the meeting). Students who opt to take a pass/fail assessment are seen as taking the easy route. This stigma, unfortunate even in normal times, is now plainly ridiculous: Amid a pandemic, there are things more important than an A. Taking a class pass/fail this quarter does not mean students accept a C-; it should mean they want to prioritize their well-being and cope with whatever they may be feeling and dealing with at home. So, while students have to figure out how to manage sys-

temic and circumstantial disadvantages, home obligations like elder and child care, and being cooped up in spaces they may physically not be able to study in, they must also risk their GPAs by taking quality grades, or face shame from the stigma of pass/ fail at UChicago. They should not have to make that choice.

This stigma is heightened in an optional pass/fail system, but absent in a universal one.

Is a universal pass/fail system perfect? No, not in the slightest. But does it present us with the best chance of allowing students, as well as faculty,

to be able to put the well-being of their families front and center in this pandemic? I believe that the answer is yes. UChicago did not do enough to support all of its students and faculty by refusing to take substantial information from all members of the school community. We have seen how an optional pass/fail system does not work in the way it was designed. We can still institute a universal pass-fail system for this summer, and if fall quarter is held remotely, then universal pass/fail should be implemented then as well. We have a chance to make this right.

UChicago Did It Right Other institutions should follow in our footsteps and implement a test-optional admissions policy

By ANJALI MIRMIRA Other institutions should follow in the University of Chicago’s footsteps and implement test-optional admissions for the incoming Class of 2025. The University of California system recently announced that they will no longer require ACT or SAT scores in hopes of developing a more equitable test—a huge step for test-optional advocates. However, UChicago stepped into the game early by dropping the testing requirement for the Class of 2023.

When UChicago announced in June 2018 that it would no longer require test scores, the decision sparked criticism, appraisal, and debate among many institutions and current UChicago students. I and several other students in my year were admitted to the Class of 2023 with no test scores.

I usually feel the need to start a conversation about test-optional college admissions by explaining that I do find some value in stan-

dardized testing. In fact, had it not been for my experience junior year of high school, I would be among those criticizing UChicago for its test-optional policy. It is easy to assume that a test-optional policy relaxes requirements for those who do not score well, but the reality is that a policy like this excuses circumstances where testing cannot measure what it intends to. In high school, I was diagnosed with two retinal detachments which carried a total of 12 interventional procedures, including two major surgeries, over the course of my whole junior year and part of my senior year. I lost the ability to use my right eye after having a major allergic reaction to the device put in to fix the detachment. As a result, I was physically unable to take my standardized tests. Furthermore, the College Board and ACT refused to give me any sort of help or accommodation, no matter how much information I provided them—this refusal, in my opinion, violated the Health Insurance

Portability and Accountability Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. To emphasize the difficulty of getting testing accommodation, I should point out that I went to a small, private high school, where I had plenty of institutional support, and even I could not convince testing companies. There are many who face similar circumstances and do not have the opportunities I had. Standardized testing does a fantastic job of exacerbating the disparities caused by socioeconomic class in this country.

Some ask me, “Why not just explain to colleges that you couldn’t take tests?” and my answer, in short, is, “Yes, I could have done that.” However, when someone applies to college under normal circumstances, they have choice and control over how they frame their application. Explaining to colleges one of the most traumatic events of my life takes away my choice and defines my application as “the kid with no eyesight.” Fur-

thermore, it is not anyone’s job to explain why their circumstances do not enable them a fair shot on a test. Mine, a medical condition for which I could not get testing accommodations, is the more privileged of circumstances that a test-optional policy would cover. For example, many people do not have the resources to buy books, hire tutors, and study 24/7 for the SAT because they need to make money for their family or face certain conditions where the SAT is, and should be, the least of their problems. This inequity is in large part because standardized testing companies are still private, money-making businesses despite their nonprofit status.

The CEO of the College Board, David Coleman, makes $750,000 annually. With a salary like that, making testing more equitable is clearly not his utmost concern.

Ultimately, this policy enables students who do not have the opportunity to score highly to be given a chance in holistic admissions

processes.

A four-year trend in grades, essays, extracurriculars, and personality should ultimately hold more weight than a one-time test, especially for schools who claim to practice holistic admissions.

In the era of COVID-19, some students will have the privilege of using their quarantine time to crack out their SAT books, and others will have to worry about how they will earn enough money to get their next meal. This is an unprecedented time for everyone, but it especially exacerbates socioeconomic disparities. UChicago has things to work on, as all schools do, but its test-optional policy is a step toward equality of opportunity. In order to account for the inequality that comes from this unprecedented situation, other schools around the country should take a hint from UChicago, and, for once, be more concerned about students than they are about rankings.

Anjali Mirmira is a first-year in the College.

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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ARTS Zara Bamford: What the Military Doesn’t Want You to Know About Video Games

By TIMOTHY LEE Arts Reporter A couple of weeks ago, I sat down with soon-to-be graduate Zara Bamford and interviewed her about her thesis paper for political science, “Do You Feel Like a Hero Yet: Military Methods of Dehumanization and Propaganda in Video Games.” Throughout the interview, we talked about questions pertaining to her topic, such as how common violence is found in video games, how the military utilizes video games for its own benefit, and where the state of violence in video games is currently heading. However, by having all these different subtopics about violence in video games, Bamford emphasized one big point: Violence in video games normalizes war and conflict for the people who play these games.

Bamford makes it explicitly clear that she does not believe that violent video games like Call of Duty or Battlefield make kids and teenagers commit acts of violence, like school shootings. Instead, she explained that “games do not necessarily get you to kill, but normalize war, normalize violence.” For Bamford, violence in video games is a psychological tool that acclimates average people to violence, and for the military, this serves as a perfect recruitment tool. Game series like Call of Duty, Battlefield, Medal of Honor, and other military-focused first-person shooters (FPS) have been used by the military not only as a means of recruiting skilled gamers, but also as a means of dehumanizing war.

Bamford argues the reason why the military uses these games, or any military-focused FPS in general, is that they all possess three important factors: the United States is not credited as a bad guy; violence is “the best way to help others and bring order;” and, most importantly, the enemies in these games are either unintelligible or have obscured faces.

Bamford points out that in games like Black Ops or Modern Warfare, most en-

emies wear a piece of clothing covering their faces, such as bandanas, hats, and masks. For the player, this makes them less human. Therefore, whenever the enemies of these games commit acts of terror or warfare and the U.S. military has no choice but to fight back, the player almost feels justified in killing every enemy. From the player’s perspective, the enemy committed a wrong, and it is the player’s responsibility to correct that wrong. For the military, this kind of mentality is needed to not only persuade citizens to enlist, but also to mentally prepare them for the horrific carnage seen during times of war. As Bamford put it: “To get people excited to fight, [gamers] will be getting more of these Call of Duty

games, and the more black-and-white these games become, the more it creates a framework in the player’s mind that the world is black-and-white.”

Bamford also explains that military-focused first-person shooters are not the only video games the military uses. Games like Grand Theft Auto or even Fortnite can be effective tools of recruitment, because they still both expose a level of violence to the player and require the player to be skilled at shooting and killing enemies. Even something like Star Wars Battlefront II can be an effective tool for the military because the enemies in the game are either stormtroopers, whose faces are masked by helmets, or droids, who will kill on sight. A game

does not even have to be an FPS to be useful for the military, such as the Airman Challenge, an Air Force simulation game that tests players’ capability to fly aircrafts in combat by destroying nameless, faceless enemy airplanes. Violence is everywhere in video games, and as long as violence continues being everywhere, the military will latch onto video games for recruitment and dehumanization of war.

However, Bamford explains that despite violence’s popularity throughout video game media, it is still changing in very interesting ways that may prove inefficient for the military. She concludes that “games are becoming more nuanced.” There has been a recent trend in CONTINUED ON PG. 8

For Zara Bamford, violence in video games acclimates average people to violence, and serves as a military recruitment tool.

COURTESY OF ZARA BRAMFORD

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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“The military may even start developing their own video games with the gaming industry to suit their recruiting demands.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 7

which games like God of War, Red Dead Redemption 2, and the upcoming Last of Us Part II have become more grounded and human. The main protagonists may still utilize violence to kill their enemies, but they must do so out of survival and necessity, and it forces an emotional weight on all the protagonists that gradually becomes heavier and heavier. The greatest example of this new trend in video games, Spec Ops: The Line, not only

brings a level of humanity to violence but is one of the few games to portray the U.S. military as the antagonist. Bamford described the game as “a deconstruction of military shooters” that makes the player “feel bad about killing the enemies who are humanized and not one-dimensional,” and it is the ultimate example of the kind of game the military will try to avoid when trying to recruit potential soldiers.

The military attempts to avoid games like Spec Ops: The Line and the new God

of War because, from their perspective, these games either bring a level of humanity in war that a soldier should not feel in combat, or they present the U.S. military as bad guys. These games are the antithesis of what players should feel when they go out and kill someone. Therefore, the military will continue clinging on to games like Call of Duty and Battlefield. Who knows, the military may even start developing their own video games with the gaming industry to suit their

recruiting demands, quickly countering this new trend of grounded, nuanced violence. Overall, the military wants to use these games to present the conflicts the U.S. gets involved in as black-and-white, in which the U.S. is good and their enemies are bad. But, as Bamford pointed out, “War is imperfect and messy and people get traumatized, and [the] Call of Duty games and the military [will] do everything they can to avoid this.”

“That’s Rough, Buddy” – A Love Letter to Avatar: The Last Airbender

By VERONICA CHANG Arts Reporter Water. Earth. Fire. Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony.

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked and angsty teenaged Zuko came straight for my five-year-old heart.

It’s the 15th anniversary of Avatar: The Last Airbender, and as the series finally returns on Netflix U.S., I thought I’d take a look back at one of my favorite childhood cartoons.

Created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, Avatar aired from 2005 to 2008, spanning three seasons and 61 episodes. Each episode is both self-contained and part of a much larger, grander adventure of a young boy and his friends.

Admittedly, when I first watched the series, a lot of the deeper themes and nuances flew right over my dumbass head, but even as a kid, I remember being awed by Avatar’s fluid animation, especially the bending sequences. I hadn’t yet had my Sailor Moon phase, so Avatar, influenced by both American and Japanese animation, visually stood out from almost every other cartoon I’d watched. Beyond the animation, though, tiny me also worshipped Avatar’s characters. Zuko owned my five-year-old heart from the first mention of honor (and hot leaf juice), but I also loved Toph’s resilience, Sokka’s creativity, Katara’s determination, Aang’s optimism, Iroh’s wisdom, the cab-

bage merchant’s cabbages, and so, so much more.

At its core, Avatar is a coming-of-age story; the characters must mature into their responsibilities and understand their roles in a time of crisis and conflict. The series explores themes of friendship, duty, and family, but also touches on issues of war, marginalization, and totalitarianism. Aang is the last survivor of a cultural genocide, which wiped out all the Air Nomads. The episode “Lake Laogai” is inspired by the prison camps (Laodong Gaizao) in the People’s Republic of China, where opponents of the Chinese Communist Party were sent to work as slave labor. Even the meta-parody episode “The Ember Island Players” shows how entertainment can act as propaganda, offering commentary on the cultural impacts of imperialism. Heavy stuff for a kids cartoon, yet Avatar never feels inaccessible or overly morbid. It’s still a series about kids, for kids.

As I grow up and continue to rewatch Avatar, I’ve begun to truly appreciate how it deftly balances lighthearted hijinks with rich and emotional storytelling. The first time I properly rewatched the series was freshman year of high school. I’d just moved from Canada to Hong Kong and spent most days staring at my laptop or phone, waiting for friends back home to wake up. Looking back, trying to watch 61 episodes in three days may not have been the smartest idea,

Avatar: The Last Airbender returned to Netflix U.S. this month.

COURTESY OF NICKELODEON

especially when I had to wake up for school at 6 a.m.. Still, reliving my childhood nostalgia helped push aside how homesick I felt; for 23 minutes, my only problems were low bandwidth and potential viruses from the maybe-illegal websites I was using.

There are so many things I love about Avatar: its insane quotability, with lines like “There is no war in Ba Sing Se,” “My cabbages!” and, of course, “That’s rough, buddy”; the way it questions fate, destiny, and free will, especially in Aang’s refusal to

kill Ozai; the inside jokes it’s given me and my friends, including shipping wars before we knew what shipping was (Zuko x Katara 5ever!!!); the multicultural influences on its mythology and world-building, including East Asian, Inuit, and New World societies; how Zuko’s character arc is represented by how attractive his haircut is; the subdued and haunting soundtrack for the final Agni Kai battle between Azula and Zuko, underscoring the tragedy of their conflict; the list CONTINUED ON PG. 9

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“Heavy stuff for a kids cartoon, yet Avatar never feels inaccessible or overly morbid.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 8

goes on. Avatar is really, really good.

Fifteen years after I first watched it, I find myself coming back to Avatar: The Last Airbender again. Things have changed, and yet, so many things have stayed the same.

I’ve moved back to Canada, my brother

is home from college, and I’m spamming friends across different time zones with bad memes before they wake up. I still bawl like a baby when I watch “The Tales of Ba Sing Se,” but now I can also recite half of “The Ember Island Players” by heart. Netflix is working on a new live-action adaptation

for Avatar, with hopefully less traumatic results than M. Night Shyamalan’s 2010 train wreck. Although details are scarce, I’m cautiously optimistic at the prospect of seeing a beloved series come to life in a new medium. Until then? I’ll be rewatching all three seasons of the original cartoon,

believing that although he still has a lot to learn, Aang can save the world.

Avatar: The Last Airbender is now available to watch on Netflix U.S. (It’s been available in Canada for a while. Sucks to suck, America.)

Lenny Bruce: Comedy and Censorship

By ISABELLA CISNEROS Arts Reporter When we watch stand-up, we usually don’t blink an eye when a comedian happens to swear. I’m Not A Comedian...I’m Lenny Bruce tells the story of how that acceptance came to be, and the individual we have to thank for it. Specifically, the show delves into the life of Lenny Bruce and his fight against the censorship of his material, especially in regards to what authorities at the time believed to be “vulgarity.” The one-man show is both written by and stars Ronnie Marmo, who serves as artistic director of Theatre 68 and has both staged and acted in countless productions. While the show itself is a strong concept, it does suffer from weaknesses in its framework.

Narratively and structurally, the show loses its footing. In terms of the narrative, the flow of events is disjointed and at times confusing to follow. Tragic events in Lenny Bruce’s life would abruptly be followed by a stand-up bit, giving the audience a kind of emotional whiplash.

The lack of linearity serves as a source of further confusion. While linearity and chronology are by no means a necessity for the effective telling of a story, there exists a lack of foresight and awareness of what story the writer is trying to tell: one of a comedian’s struggle with the infringement of his freedom of speech, or one of a comedian’s life story. Though both can coexist in a singular show, they do not do so peacefully in this one.

Despite this narrative weakness, other aspects of the show guide the viewer through the sequence of events. The lighting design, courtesy of designer Matt Richter, is a significant component of the show and gives needed clarity in scene differentiation. Different types of

segments are highlighted by different types of lighting; for example, stand up is characterized by the classic spotlight on the comedian, while courtroom scenes are characterized by blinding white light that floods the entire stage. Given the abrupt transitions that sometimes occur between scenes, the lighting grounds the storytelling when it gets ahead of itself.

What originally seemed a simplistic stage design serves a multifaceted purpose; two chairs portray a variety of scenes, from a car accident involving Lenny Bruce and his wife to the comedian’s stints in prison. A toilet placed on the corner of the stage serves as our entrance to the story and a grim reminder of its eventual end: the comedian’s overdose after becoming bankrupt from court cases concerning his routines’ obscenity. In combination with the lighting design, the stage design is another source of clarity in what can become a clouded narrative.

What the show may lack in its writing, actor Ronnie Marmo makes up for in the sheer love he exhibits in telling Bruce’s story. Every Bruce routine is so reminiscent of its namesake, even his daughter Kitty Bruce was struck by the similarity. Marmo’s passion for the role is clear in his playfulness with it; during a well-known Bruce routine revolving around the use of a particular word—one that eventually landed the comedian in problems concerning vulgarity—Marmo began to improvise and interact with the audience, leading to one of the funniest exchanges I’ve ever experienced in live theatre. Marmo displays a dizzying array of his capabilities as an actor throughout the show, even if it might have ultimately been a detriment to the understanding of the story.

The ending of the show is perhaps its most compelling and intriguing aspect.

Following the death of Lenny Bruce, Marmo remains seated on the toilet as the names of comedians famous for their use of vulgar language in their material flash onto the stage with accompanying audio clips. Eventually, the clips cut out and a multitude of names flash one after another, giving way to an eerie silence as the show comes to an end. As an artistic choice, this is perhaps the strongest part of the show; I couldn’t stop thinking about it for the rest of the night. Despite fighting for a right most comedians now freely use without a second thought, Bruce remains largely unknown for it.

This show is a call for recognition, and not just of Bruce. With the rise of cancel culture and political correctness, the show poses an interesting question: are these truly improving the language we use, or are they veiled attempts at censoring it?

Are we reverting to the conditions that embroiled Bruce in legal troubles, or are we creating a new normal for the better-

ment of language?

While the production’s successful— and repeatedly extended—run has been put on hold by the pandemic, the production has stated that they fully intend to return to Chicago and continue their run once it has been declared safe to do so. Though the stage remains dark, I hold optimism for the return of this thoughtful piece of theatre and its continuation in Chicago.

Following the end of the show, Marmo talked to the audience about an organization created in Lenny Bruce’s memory that I would like to mention in this article.

Founded by daughter Kitty Bruce, The Lenny Bruce Foundation combats alcohol and drug addiction with scholarships and education programs. Kitty hopes to establish educational modules that provide longterm success according to the guidelines of the foundation. If you would like to know more or donate to the foundation, visit www.lennybruce.org.

Marmo displays a dizzying array of his capabilities as an actor throughout the show.

COURTESY OF DOREN SORELL

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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SPORTS Home Response to Pandemic-Era Recruitment and Competition

By BRINDA RAO Sports Editor

With a June 30 extension to its official recruiting dead period, the NCAA has determined the ongoing face of collegiate athletic recruitment. Although this dead period exclusively applies to Division I programs, it has a clear message for all varsity programs in the country: Recruitment must change in the face of the COVID -19 pandemic.

Many upcoming summer clinics and events are already being cancelled or postponed. This leaves athletes and coaches in the uncertain position of taking on the typical recruitment calendar in an atypical manner.

For UChicago’s Division III programs, these potential cancellations of prospective recruit visits and clinics requires creativity. The NCAA has left Division III recruiting legislation at a similar level to where it was be-

fore the pandemic. However, coaches are unable to rely on key summer and spring events to survey potential recruits. Coaches have taken to virtual platforms like Zoom and FaceTime to offer interested athletes forums to learn more about their programs.

The timeline of the pandemic has drastically impacted recruitment cycles at all levels. For many varsity sports, the spring and summer serves as the prime time for coaches to travel and see prospects compete live. Head women’s lacrosse coach Kate Robinson noted, “Typically, June and July are important evaluating months for us and we attend a tournament or showcase every weekend, as well as work/host lacrosse camps and clinics.”

While virtual platforms offer innovative methods to compensate for cancelled in-person events, ultimately programs are unable to scope prospects in traditional events. Several

regional High School Athletic Associations have cancelled recruitment events across sports. Many lacrosse recruiting tournaments, showcases and camps were postponed and cancelled for the summer. Without live performance viewing options, many coaches are turning to highlight reels and home videos from prospective recruits. In addition, coaches are using virtual calls in addendum to regular email communications. Robinson elaborated, “It’s a more personal way to get to know our recruits, give them a sense of our lacrosse program, university and team culture.”

The NCAA presented a guideline for prospective recruits during this time of official and unofficial dead periods. Many recruits are unable to train in their regular facilities with high school and club programs closed during the pandemic. The NCAA has set out management advice for re-

cruits including continuing and starting communications with collegiate coaches, attending virtual events and maintaining regular workout schedules.

While the circumstances are anything short of normal, both the NCAA and UChicago athletic officials are responding in decisive and empathetic terms. The NCAA has officially extended fourth-year Division III spring season athletes’ eligibility to compete for a fifth season. Reflecting on her own personal mission for recruitment, Robinson stated, “We are using the time we now have to grow as coaches, as a team, and really get to know our prospective student-athletes. As a staff, we can watch past film, read books, and really develop in certain areas that we typically would not have time for.... We are really trying to be creative and find the silver lining of this abnormal situation.”

Family Forged on the Track Fourth-year Elliott Paintsil reflects on his time on the UChicago track team and the friends who became like family

By ELLIOTT PAINTSIL Sports Reporter

I decided to join my high school’s indoor track team during my freshman year. All of my friends were already on the team and I wanted to keep myself in shape for the soccer season. What I never expected to happen was an eightyear career with highs, lows, and everything in between. The beginning of my track career was pretty uneventful. I was 5 foot 7, 135 pounds on a good day, and wore Rec Specs in order to see the hurdles before leaping over them in one

of the most unathletic displays possible.

At that point in time, college track was the furthest thing from my mind. But as I got older, faster, and stronger, competing at the next level became more of a possibility. I was uncertain I had what it took to compete in college, but my high school coach’s enthusiasm and passion for seeing his athletes succeed gave me the confidence to take my career to the next level. During the winter of my senior year, I got an email from the coaching staff at UChicago asking about my college plans. After a few emails back and forth, I decided to visit the school.

As soon as I stepped foot on campus, I knew I was in the right place. What I didn’t know at the time was how much being a member of the UChicago track and field team would change my life.

As soon as my class got to campus, the upperclassmen welcomed us with open arms. I learned early on this wasn’t the kind of team that trained together during the week and went their separate ways afterwards. We ate at the dining hall after practice, had team-building activities throughout the year, and even found time to explore the city on the weekends. It was

clear the track team was more than a group of individuals with similar goals— we were a family. Having that mindset turned track, a pretty individualized sport, into a team sport. Competitions became less about trying to get personal accomplishments and more about doing everything you could to help the team walk away with a title. The family mentality made it easier to come train for three hours a day even when I had several P-sets and a midterm coming up. It was as if track practice became a retreat from academics, allowing for me to take CONTINUED ON PG. 11

THE CHICAGO MAROON — MAY 27, 2020

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“These were the people that would sit in the Reg after practice until we were kicked out of the bookstacks...and drive to Pilsen at midnight to get late-night tacos.”

CONTINUED FROM PG. 10

a much needed break from school work and have fun with my family.

Being a member of the track team gave me friends that became more like family members. These were the people that would pick me up if I had a rough week of classes or a rough meet. These were the people that would sit in the Reg after practice until we were kicked out of the bookstacks at 1 a.m. They would also be the ones that would get a Zipcar with me and drive to Pilsen at midnight to get late-night tacos. I never anticipated getting a second family when I enrolled at UChicago, but I will be forever grateful that I did. But, that’s also what made this past winter even

harder.

I was in the Reg preparing for finals when I got the notification. All NCAA winter championships and the spring season would be cancelled effective immediately. I didn’t know what to think at first. I always pictured ending my career in May, handing off the baton in the 4x400-meter relay one final time.

While contemplating what happens next, the phrase “run each race like it’s your last” popped into my head. It’s a phrase I’ve heard throughout my track career. However, I never truly understood what it meant until that moment in the Reg. I never imagined my career ending unexpectedly, but I found comfort in the fact that I always tried to give

everything I had each time I stepped on the track. But most importantly, I found comfort that although my track career was over, the relationships I formed with my teammates would be everlasting. Despite the fact that we will all be in different places after graduation, the bond that we created throughout our time at UChicago won’t be lost. I might have not gotten the storybook ending to my career, but that doesn’t change what I gained the past four years. The decision to run track will forever be the greatest decision of my life. Although we never got that final “team on three, family on six,” no matter where we are post-COVID -19, we will always be a family.

COURTESY OF UCHICAGO ATHLETICS

Road Running Etiquette

By JACKIE ROSA Sports Reporter

Whether you are a first-time runner or it is a part of your daily routine, knowing proper runners’ etiquette will ensure you have a safer and more fun run!

Runners’ etiquette is often dependent on your location. I am from a small farm town and usually run on the side of country roads and highways, but in Chicago I would never run anywhere besides on a trail designated for running, or on a sidewalk.

What direction to run in on streets: If you are running on a street and there are no sidewalks, run in the opposite direction of traffic. You will be able to see cars coming toward you, which ensures you can see oncoming traffic, and the driver can also see you. This is especially important if you are listening to music while running as you’ll likely be unable to hear cars coming, but that’s okay because you can see the car coming.

Running on a sidewalk: If running on a sidewalk, there are not too many rules to follow, but the biggest courtesy is to let people know you are coming up behind them. Most of the time, people will move out of your way if you give them a warning. By simply shouting “on your left” or

“on your right!” at least 10–20 seconds before you approach the pedestrian, you give them enough time to move out of your way. People sometimes get startled when a runner is coming up behind them and they do not hear them. By just yelling these quick little statements you ensure a positive interaction between you and any pedestrians.

Trail running: When running on a bike/walking trail, such as the Lakefront Trail, it is important to run on the designated running/walking side of the path. This avoids collisions with oncoming bikers. While it is courteous on sidewalks to let runners or walkers know that you are on their left or right, it is less important to give this heads-up on a trail such as the Lakefront because it is fairly spacious. However, if it is a crowded day, then it is safer to use these warnings to avoid any type of collision or unpleasant interaction. If you do happen to live in a rural area where you can run on the side of the road or a highway, make sure to run at times when there is the least amount of traffic. Run in the opposite direction of the car, so both the runner and car can see each other. If a car is coming toward you, I recommend from personal experience just giving them extra space and moving to the side more because

you do not know if there is another car coming toward them on the other side of the road. Also, some cars are not the most courteous to runners or unaware of how much space to give them, so I always say better safe than sorry and just give them more space.

When to stop: At stop signs, traffic lights, or other intersections of traffic, ALWAYS STOP. Even if you have the right of way, always stop because the number of people who do not pay attention while driving seems to always be higher than people who are paying attention. I have had my fair share of neardeath experiences, especially in Chicago, because I assumed cars would stop for me, and they did not. If you have the walk signal, make sure you always look both ways, and then proceed across the street.

If you do not have a walk signal, then do not cross.

Crosswalks: Depending on how big the crossing is and how quick you are, it is okay to cross when the crosswalk signal is blinking between walking and not walking. However, I recommend just stopping and waiting for a walk signal.

At stop signs, if the car gets there before you do, let the car proceed across the intersection first. If you get there at the same time as the car, usually the driver

will communicate with you to cross. If they do not, just let them go first. If you get to the stop sign first, still stop, make sure the car sees you, and then cross.

Even though cars are supposed to stop at yield to pedestrian signs, they rarely do.

Always stop at yield to pedestrian signs, and only if the car yields for you or traffic is clear, proceed across the intersection.

Drivers and bikers: In order for runners’ etiquette to work it is also important for vehicles and bikes to be courteous to runners! If there are any collisions between a runner or vehicle, or runner or bike, the runner is always at the disadvantage because they have no protection.

As a driver, just be aware of runners, let runners pass at stop signs and yield to pedestrian signs, and give them space when you are sharing the road. My rule of thumb as a driver is to always drive how you want people to drive when you are on a run. In regard to bikers, usually runners and bikers just interact on shared paths and trails. Just as runners should give heads-up to people they are approaching from behind, bikers should do the same, along with staying on their side of the path.

Now that you know these simple rules to runner’s etiquette, it’s time to lace up your shoes and go for a run!