Dec. 12, 2018

15

COLLEGE OF DUPAGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER — 12 DECEMBER 2018

VO L U M E 5 3

CHAPPY HOLIDAYS

NEWS

Guide to Student Registration p5

FEATURES

OPINION

COD Feminist Alliance Returns

Students Sue Harvard over Affirmative Action

p7

p13

E F I L ENT

D U T S SSC 1217

Achieve More.

Together.

• 80 undergraduate majors • Adult accelerated degree completion programs • Counselors on-site to make the transfer process easy Our most popular transfer majors include computer science, criminal justice, education, nursing, healthcare leadership, business and aviation.

Learn more about our on-site undergraduate programs: • 3+1 Computer Science degree • 3+1 Criminal Justice degree • Enhanced 2+2 Teacher Education degrees (Early Childhood Education with Endorsements in Special Education and ESL, Elementary, Special, and Combined Elementary/ Special Education)

Scheduled On-Site

3+1 Advising Session

Dates and Room Locations: cod.edu/academics/transfer_programs/ 3plus1_advising_sessions.aspx

(815) 836-5250 • admission@lewisu.edu

lewisu.edu/transfers

(15 Minute Minimum)

INDEX

3

NEWS······················ 04

Reanna Comiso says farewell to the Courier

FEATURES··············· 06

COD Relaxation Week

OPINION·················· 10

Let the murder of Khashoggi end the war in Yemen

SPORTS··················· 15

COD Dodgeball

COFFEE BREAK······ 18

Puzzles and your COD weather forecast

COD Courier Student Newspaper

@codcourier

@codcourier

ON THE COVER THE TEAM

SRC 1220 • 630-942-2689

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF······························· Tessa Morton ASSIGNMENT REPORTER···················· Joey Weslo

Brandon Beckwith

NEWS EDITOR···································· Madison Venckus FEATURES EDITOR······························ Reanna Comiso OPINION EDITOR································ Kimberly Wilson SPORTS EDITOR································· Miguel Contreras III HEAD PHOTO EDITOR·························· Alison Pfaff ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR················· Lindsay Piotter GRAPHICS EDITOR······························ Brandon Beckwith ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR············ John Noonan EDITORIAL CARTOONIST····················· DeAnte Washington ADVISER - Jim Fuller fullerj103@cod.edu

ABOUT US The Courier is published every Wednesday during the fall and spring semesters, except for the first and last Wednesday of each semester and the week of spring break as a public forum with content chosen by student editors. One copy free, additional copies available upon request.

The Courier does not knowingly accept advertisement that discriminate on the basis of sex, creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.

Deliver all correspondence to SSC 1220 between regular office hours or mail to the Courier, College of DuPage, 425 Fawell Blvd., Glen Ellyn, IL. 60137.

4

NEWS NEWS

A BITTERSWEET FAREWELL TO THE COURIER Reanna Comiso, Features Editor

Reanna Comiso, Features Editor

Alison Pfaff

I dreaded writing this all semester long. I knew it was coming. As each week passed, and we started working on the next issues, I tried to pay no attention to it. I didn’t want to think about leaving what I had come to love.

About a year ago, I was in the right place at the right time. I was working on a group project for my film class with the last editor-in-chief of the Courier, Carlos. We were talking, and the topic of the student newspaper came up. I worked for my high school newspaper in the past and loved it. I wanted to know how I could take part in the Courier myself.

A few weeks passed, and Carlos informed me about a position opening at the Courier. That brings me to where I am now. I becames the features editor. For the past year, I have grown more than I thought was possible. I accredit that entirely to the Courier. Now I am writing my goodbye.

Over the course of the year, I met people from all walks of life. I became exposed to many new ideas and perspectives different from my own. I learned how to communicate more effectively, how to seek out information I needed and how to be more understanding of others and their perspectives.

Communication is tough; being understanding is easier. Learning to find the perfect balance between the two was one of my biggest goals, and each day at work brought me closer to achieving that goal. Teamwork is also a struggle, but the Courier is a team that only works when everyone puts in their best effort.

Some weeks were easier than others.

Stories fall through. Deadlines approach faster than anticipated. Sometimes sources are uncooperative. The struggles manifest in different ways, but you have to put

aside your pride bto make sure things work out for the betterment of the collective whole. Learning to accept reality as it is and using it as inspiration is something we could all benefit from. Sometimes things work, and sometimes they don’t. That is okay.

I also learned a lot about my co-workers, who I am also able to call my friends.

If I could list everything I learned about my Courier friends, this farewell would make up the entire issue. They are what I will miss most about this job. I look forward to our weekly meetings where we share our ideas and yell over each other at the op-ed discussion. I will miss gushing over K-pop, sharing our embarrassing social media history, watching bad YouTube videos at any given moment and just about everything. Despite any issues that came my way over the past year, I knew I would be able to come to SSC 1220 and immediately feel better. I knew I could come to the newsroom and laugh enough to forget whatever was going on behind the scenes. I’m never giving my office key back, just so I can visit whenever I want to.

Though it is sad having to leave the best job I have ever had, I look forward to my future and being able to apply everything I have learned at the Courier to my future endeavors. Whatever my path decides to provide me, I know I have the fundamentals I need to succeed. I’m hoping when I make the transfer to my university at the start of the new year I will be able to find a sense of community and belonging that I found at the Courier.

More than anything, I hope the people who enter the staff in the future are able to experience what I did this year. It has been incredible being able to push yourself and grow while having your co-workers encouraging you in the background. I wish everyone the best in the future and know the Courier will continue to be the best publication it can be.

NEWS

5

GUIDE TO STUDENT CLASS REGISTRATION Madison Venckus, News Editor First semester is coming to an end Dec. 14 following finals week. The COD Class schedule is available for students to view and register on myACCESS.cod.edu.

For both new and returning students earning an undergraduate degree, it is important to first decide whether one is working towards an Associates of Arts (AA) or an Associate's of Science (AS). Both degrees require 64 credits in total with an AA degree focusing heavier on English and Liberal Arts credits and an AS degree focusing more on Science and Math classes.

Although only 12 credits are required to be a full-time student, one needs to take a total of 16 credits per semester to reach the 64 credit requirement by the end of two years.

Both degrees require nine communications credits, seven science credits, three mathematics credits, nine human/Fine Arts credits and nine social and behavioral classes.

An AA degree requires 27 additional coursework credits while an AS

degree requires six Life or Physical science courses and three additional math courses. This leaves only 18 additional coursework classes for those earning an AS degree to fulfill.

Beyond credit requirements, there are also multiple class categories students can not overfill. Students working towards an AA or AS degree can not earn more than four semester credits from Physical Education classes, 10 semester credits in courses from the Career and Technical Education section, six semester hours of History in the Humanities and Social/Behavioral Sciences combined and students can not earn more than 12 semesters of Additional Coursework requirements on a satisfactory/fail basis.

Once a student is ready to sign up for classes, they must access the student portal on myACCESS.cod. edu. Under user account, click on the “I’m new to myACCESS/ Reset my Password” or sign in with a preexisting password. If a student is new to myACCESS, the webpage

COD Newsroom Flickr

provides instructions on how to access a new username and password that can be changed once logged in.

Once logged in, there are multiple tabs under “Academic Profile” that can aid students in the registration process. The Degree Audit tab will help in figuring out what credits are required for graduation, while the Student Planning tab is where one signs up for classes.

Under the Student Planning tab, students can enter the desired course or its prefix that will redirect to all of the courses available for the semester. Courses will show the amount of credits per class, the teacher and level which is determined by the number following the course name.

Courses ranging from 1000 on count towards credit hours and the higher the number, the more difficult a course is generally.

After registering, students who are not receiving financial assistance are required to pay a tuition bill at the time of registration. There are three options for students to choose how they will pay for courses. One can pay with a credit card online, pay with cash or credit card at the Cashier's window on the Main campus, or enroll in an automatic payment plan.

Students who are unable to pay for classes in full at time of registration can enroll in a payment plan through registration. The Spring 2019 payment plan is dependent on how much a student puts down at the time of registration. Students can choose between a six, five, three,

two or single payment plan. The six payment plan requires 10 percent down while a single payment plan requires a 50 percent down payment. Students can access these plans at www.cod.edu/tuition/payment_plans.aspx.

Students utilizing financial aide or veterans benefits are required to put down a five dollar deposit followed by two payments in March and April. Students can apply for financial aid through a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All students are able to fill out a FAFSA form and financial aid varies between students depending on financial situations.

Returning students may notice a few changes and improvements on various COD run sites. For starters, Cod will no longer be mailing schedules and bills after each registration in order to save papers. Students will also be able to get refunds through credit cards if that was the mode of payment used. On myACCESS, students can change their personal information and the myACCESS web site will extent their course to offering access from 6 a.m. until 2 a.m. seven days a week.

Any students with further questions on registration and course schedules are encouraged to access the Register for Classes tab on COD’s homepage, or stop by the Registration office in the Student Services Center (SSC), Room 2221 for help.

Returning students may notice a few changes and improvements on various COD run sites

6

FEATURES NEWS

Relax Week gave students an opportunity to unwind before finals week.

Events included Mac and Cheese and Massages, Costmetology, cookies and Hot Chocolate and free Cotton Candy to finish out a festive week of events.

Photos by Lindsay Piotter & Alison Pfaff

RELAX WEEK AT COD

NEWS FEATURES

7

COD FEMINIST ALLIANCE MAKES A COMEBACK Reanna Comiso, Features Editor

The Feminist Alliance promotes equality and gender issues at College of DuPage

Alison Pfaff

When looking for a place to direct his love for student involvement and activism, College of DuPage student Jacob Kent asked students what they thought the campus was lacking. Without a second guess, students shared their want for a feminist club to discuss the issues of sexism and misogyny. In turn, Kent took their opinions and used it as an incentive to reviveform the Feminist Alliance of COD. Kent iswas the formerly president of COD’s Pride Alliance, giving him experience leading a club on campus. He stepped down from his position with Pride Alliance, but he knew that he wanted to continue leading a club on campus. He took what he knew about student leadership and set out to find a place to direct his skills.

“A lot of people were saying, ‘Why isn’t there a feminist club on campus?’” said Kent. “I thought,

‘Well, it looks like there is a market for this.’”

The Feminist Alliance first debuted on campus around 2015, when former president and founder Auguste Baltrimaviciute was looking for a place to direct her interest in gender issues. In order to form a club on campus, she needed to gather adviseors and a succession of student leaders. From there, the club was born as a means to educate the student body and discuss the many issues facing women in today’s society.

After graduating from COD and going on to earn her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, the club underwent a hiatus. It became difficult to find leadership that was able to devote the time needed to keep the club up and running. Returning to COD to take language courses allowed her to step-up as vice president. Now as

VP, Baltrimaviciute wants to see the club form a strong foundation to be able to live on when she makes her final departure from COD. “I really want the Feminist Alliance to really sink its roots in, so it can last for a while, because these issues aren’t going away,” said Baltrimaviciute.

In the past, the Feminist Alliance hostedeld several events to educate the student body, including movie screenings and frequent round-table discussions. The club also emphasized the importance of collaborating with other clubs to gain different perspectives on how social issues are often affect more than one social group, also known as intersectionality.

Being able to incorporate the views of the various demographics on campus allowed for club members to walk away with new perspectives and ideas.

“It was really helpful to get other groups so you get more participation and then a better perspective of other experiences, too, not just your own,” said Baltrimaviciute.

“The collaborating with other clubs helps to round out the picture.”

While the development of the club is still in the works, ideas for the next semester are already in the works. In essence, the club hopes to be a safe place for people to discuss their stories and perspectives on various feminist issues and their own experiences as well.

As the club begins to stabilize going into the sSpring semester, one of the main goals for the club is to host a “Ttake Bback the Nnight” event.

In the past, the club hosted this event for survivors of domestic abuse and sexual assault as a way to create a positive environment for survivors to share their stories and create something productive, rather than internalize the feelings and have them manifest in negative ways.

“I believe strongly in the cycle of abuse,” Kent said. “Ithat if people don’t have a space to share their experiences and have the experiences believed and validated, those people can instead internalize those behaviors and become abusers themselves.,” said Kent.

Though meetings times for the next semester have yet to be determined, the club welcomes any and all individuals to join and participate in their cause. Information on future meetings can be found on their facebook page at @CODFeministAlliance.

8

FEATURES

TECHCETERA GALLERY

Under instruction from Eva Stevens, three Fashion Studies students display their garments. Liam McClelland made a menswear piece, Temuulen Dashdondog, and Neyla Savenok created Womenswear pieces.

FEATURES

9

WINGS GALLERY

Beginning ceramics students under instruction from Marina Kuchinski and Benjamin Buchenot have their artwork on display.

Photos by Alison Pfaff

10

NEWS OPINION

Catholic Worker(s) weekly vigil for the people of Yemen, NYC, 2018

Flickr user Felton Davis

LET THE MURDER OF KHASHOGGI END THE WAR IN YEMEN Joey Weslo, Assignment Reporter “There is not a smoking gun – there is a smoking saw.”

No, Senator Graham, there is a smoking bomb – and it’s American made.

Three years into the brutal war in Yemen and Congress is finally taking action. The Senate’s rebuke of President Donald Trump’s cowardice in the murder of Saudi reporter Jamal Khashoggi must not be confused for a sudden epiphany of Congressional morality.

The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations was briefed by the CIA on the complicity of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in ordering Khashoggi’s

murder. Speaking to reporters after, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced he wouldn’t support Saudi Arabia’s war efforts in Yemen or continued arms sales from Washington as long as the crown prince remained in power.

“If you want to buy our weapons and integrate your economy into ours, there’s a certain price to be paid. Don’t chop somebody up in a consulate. That’s not too much to ask,” said Graham.

Senate discontentment of Trump’s inaction was displayed by the bipartisan advancement of “The Yemen Resolution” to withdraw American support for

the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. A further floor debate will take place before being passed to the House, where it is certain to fail until the arrival of the new Democratic majority in January.

“It’s time to send Saudi Arabia a message, both on its violation of human rights and the incredible humanitarian catastrophe it’s creating in Yemen,” said Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.).

If preventing a humanitarian catastrophe upholds American values, why aren’t American defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing and Northrop Grumman held in the same murderous light as the Saudi crown prince?

Yemenis represent the Arab world’s most destitute citizens, yet for American arms suppliers, their nation’s further destruction represents an opportunity more lucrative than the richest oil fields in the Middle East.

The war represents the continued struggle for political representation

and self-determination in the wake of the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.

Fearing the spread of Iranian influence, a Saudi-led coalition of mostly Sunni nations have used Western-sold weapons to brutalize the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels who seized power in a 2015 coup.

Turning the Houthi struggle against rising unemployment, horrific healthcare and lack of public funding into a proxy war for regional hegemony, the Saudi-led coalition has made an art form of turning Yemeni civilians into forgotten collateral damage.

According to the United Nations, over 10,000 civilians have been murdered in Yemen, with a further 40,000 injured since the start of the war. Due to the difficulties of reporting, the numbers are most likely significantly higher.

A total of 56,000 people have been killed resulting from the ceaseless fighting, displacement, disease and starvation. Over three million civilians have been displaced and

OPINION 24 million Yemenis will require humanitarian assistance in the coming year. A further 14 million people are on the brink of famine.

The nonprofit Save the Children estimated 85,000 children under the age of five have perished from acute malnutrition. Exacerbating the crisis, a cholera outbreak instigated by destroyed water infrastructure has affected 1.2 million Yemenis.

Every aspect of this preventable humanitarian crisis has been manufactured and caused by the excesses of human greed.

Trump expressed his disdain for the possibility of Congressional action against Saudi Arabia for the murder of Khashoggi.

“I know they’re talking about different kinds of sanctions, but (Saudi Arabia is) spending $110 billion on military equipment and on things that create jobs,” said the commander in chief.

In May, Trump, at the beset of defense contractors, brokered a $350 billion arms deal with the Saudis over 10 years with no specific human rights conditions attached. Saudi Arabia has since followed through on $14.5 billion in purchases.

Trump’s deal overturned an Obama-era embargo enacted after Saudi planes intentionally dropped American-made bombs on a Yemeni civilian funeral reception, killing 140 civilians and severely injuring over 500 people.

Through the targeting of a civilian funeral and the Saudi bombing of 274 medical facilities, Congress remained conspicuously silent.

Little than four months after Trump overturned Obama’s executive action, a resilient Yemeni child named Buthaina was fighting for her life, eyes swollen shut from bomb-induced trauma.

On August 25, Buthaina’s home in Sana’a was struck by a U.S. laser-guided precision missile. Sixteen people were killed, including seven children and Buthaina’s entire family. As Saudi officials blamed the strike on a technical error, Congress again remained conspicuously silent.

Her swollen eyes came to represent the world turning a blind eye to the atrocities happening against the Yemeni people.

Amongst overwhelming evidence, Congressional leaders have pleaded ignorant to war crimes perpetrated against the world’s most desperate and vulnerable citizens. However, ignorance does not excuse you from the burden of complicity.

While the U.S. has provided logistical, intelligence and arms support to the Saudi-led coalition, the UN has accused both the coalition and the Houthi rebels of committing war crimes.

A report by the UN Office for Human Rights documented attacks on residential areas, use of illegal landmines and cluster bombs, sniper and drone attacks against civilians, illegal detentions, civilian assassinations, the recruitment of child soldiers, forced evictions and civilian displacement.

Researchers have risked their lives painstakingly investigating bomb

It’s time to send Saudi Arabia a message, both on its violation of human rights and the incredible humanitarian catastrophe it’s creating in Yemen

Senator Bob Menendez

11

Jamal Khashoggi

Wikimedia user April Brady

sites, collecting bomb fragments, citizen testimonies and corroborating evidence to build cases of war crimes against the perpetrators.

Amnesty International has collected evidence on 34 individual airstrikes in which 494 Yemeni civilians were murdered, including 148 children. The majority of these airstrikes were carried out using American and British-manufactured weapons. Amongst the weapons were cluster bombs, prohibited by the Geneva Convention, which are left as unexploded munitions on the ground, waiting for children or other civilians to make contact with before exploding.

There is a Congressional mandate against the use of cluster bombs near civilians or civilian habitation, but constitutionality always comes second to the feeding of America’s voracious military-industrial complex.

Such unwavering Congressional support should not be overlooked

when considering the Senate’s recent measure to advance the Yemen Resolution. Their political maneuvering is only a gambit to hedge the possibilities of the upcoming peace negotiations between warring sides brokered by the UN in Sweden.

Past failed negotiations indicate the suffering of the Yemeni people will continue. However, on the possibility of peace, Congress looks to ensure they come out on the right side of history. Voting “yes” on the measure makes them look tough where Trump has failed on Khashoggi and makes them look empathetic to the plight of the Yemeni people.

Since the Khashoggi murder, Germany and Norway have suspended arms exports to Riyadh.

U.S. Senators who have openly supported Saudi coalition efforts have seen the tide of momentum continued on page 12

OPINION

12 continued from page 11

begin to shift. Every resource market contains a bubble, and profiteering off the ravaging of Yemen appears ready to burst.

The legacy of the war in Yemen will not be a return to regional stability or a suppression of extremist forces in the volatile region. The war will be remembered for rampant capitalistic and imperialistic tendencies disfiguring morality with a price on the body of each innocent Yemeni civilian.

The war will be remembered for hegemonic forces turning a fragile and vulnerable state into the worst humanitarian disaster of our lifetime.

It will be remembered for the unspeakable cruelty of the Saudis

blockading the ports of Aden and Hudaydah, preventing food and medical aid from reaching desperate civilians. It will be remembered for starvation and cholera, induced by the asphyxiation of clean water sources, being weaponized as a way to intimidate and destroy the resilience of the Yemeni people.

According to Sen. Graham, there are conditions that need to be met in order to purchase American made weapons. After three years of hell for the Yemeni people - What exactly are those conditions?

The Saudi crown prince has consolidated power by persecuting his opponents and terrorizing dissidents. He feels impervious to retribution and will continue acting with impunity unless international

pressure forces a change of action or a change of command.

However, American complicity in the Saudis’ war crimes in Yemen cannot be overlooked. The contributions of Congressional war hawks and profiteering defense contractors cannot be forgotten.

Impunity ends when individuals are tried for the crimes they perpetrate. Only by dismantling the war machine piece by piece can justice be brought to the murdered civilians in Yemen.

Writing for the Washington Post before his dissenting voice resulted in his murder, Khashoggi described the conflict in Yemen as being the result of denying people from rightfully “achieving their desire for freedom.”

“The longer this cruel war lasts in Yemen, the more permanent the damage will be. The people of Yemen will be busy fighting poverty, cholera and water scarcity and rebuilding their country,” he wrote in the conclusion of his Sept. 11 article.

If Congress truly cares about seeking justice for the murder of Khashoggi, they need to stop manipulating the fates of the Yemeni people as a political pawn and do the right thing.

Trump is not an obstacle to ending the forced starvation and indiscriminate killings of the Yemeni people; he’s the inevitable product of America never facing an atonement for its insatiable capitalistic avarice.

And so the war carries on…

Protest outside 10 Downing Street, London, 2018

Flickr user Felton Davis

OPINION

13

STUDENTS SUING HARVARD UNIVERSITY ARE GOING AFTER THE WRONG TARGET Kimberly Wilson, Opinion Editor Harvard University is being sued for allegedly discriminating against Asian American applicants. Students for Fair Admissions argue Harvard’s quest for a diverse incoming class each year has led to other minority groups gaining an unfair advantage in their admissions process. While it is true Harvard has discriminatory admission practices, the plaintiffs in this case have set their sights on the wrong target.

Students for Fair Admission, led by attorney Edward Blum, claim Harvard is holding them to a much higher standard when considering applicants. To remedy this, they say Harvard must effec-

tively get rid of affirmative action and try harder to find other ways to diversify their campus.

But affirmative action, for minority groups at least, is not the main culprit in this situation. Students for Fair Admissions have largely overlooked practices such as legacy admissions and preference for applicants of wealthy donors. Even though they’ve pointed to legacy admissions in their court filings as problematic, they’ve chosen to focus their blame on other minority groups.

According to the Harvard Crimson, the university’s class of 2021 was made up of 29 percent of leg-

acy students, most of whom were white. This is compared to 14.6 percent, 11.6 percent and 2.5 percent African American, Hispanic or Latino and Native American or Pacific Islander, respectively. Asian Americans were the most admitted minority group at 22 percent.

College of DuPage Sociology professor Robert Moorehead, Ph.D., talked about how these longstanding practices can be seen as a type of affirmative action for white people.

Not because they put these applicants on equal footing with everyone else--which Moorehead stressed affirmative action for minorities is intended to do--but in that they give

these students a “step ahead” in the admissions process.

“Well, certainly the reserving of spaces for legacy admissions disadvantages other applicants, including applicants of color,” Moorehead stated. “There are fewer spots for you to get into. There are fewer spots that are openly competitive.”

Moorehead gave the example of Jared Kushner gaining acceptance into Harvard University after his father donated $2.5 million to the school, despite reportedly being a “less than stellar student” while attending The Frisch School in Paramus, N.J. continued on page 14

Harvard Square

Wikimedia user Chensiyuan

OPINION

14 continued from page 13

These practices that advantage a considerable amount of applicants must conversely disadvantage all other applicants, including Asian Americans.

“In this case, they [Students for Fair Admissions] are not concerned about all the legacies who are getting in ahead of these more qualified applicants, they’re concerned about the way in which racial factors are included in the admissions process,” Moorehead said.

“And so it’s the forest and the trees and you’re like, look at this one tree here, and you’re not seeing this bigger forest around you.”

Why the Students for Fair Admissions did not pursue the legacy admissions avenue is likely at least in part due to the man leading their case.

Edward Blum has spent much of

his career fighting against affirmative action. He was Abigail Fisher’s attorney in the 2016 Fisher v.

University of Texas Austin lawsuit which sought to--you guessed it--effectively get rid of affirmative action at the school.

Blum and Fisher claimed the school unfairly rejected her by admitting African American students with lower grades and test scores than she had. But a brief UT Austin submitted to the court showed 42 of the 47 students admitted with lower grades and test scores than Fisher were, in fact, white.

Blum lost the case, but he clearly has not given up on his onslaught against affirmative action. Now he’s taking advantage of a group who is rightly frustrated and willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their preferred outcome. Regardless of whether or not their methods are actually targeting the real problem

at hand.

Also problematic is the Students for Fair Admissions’ assertion that grades and test scores should be the determining factor in who gains admissions to the university. Many higher education institutions across the United States have adopted a holistic approach in their admissions process--and for good reason.

According to a Boston Globe article, research has shown the most important factors in determining test scores are parents’ income and education. Someone with a 3.7 GPA from a working or middle-class background could very well have shown more grit than someone with a 4.5 GPA who is from a well-off family and had all the best resources at their disposal.

This underscores the importance of considering multiple factors during the admissions process. As professor Moorehead pointed out,

“Studies have shown those measures, the SAT, ACT, aren’t necessarily particularly strong measures of student performance once they actually get into university.”

Going after affirmative action may very well result in increased acceptance rates for Asian Americans. Still, quelling the influence “white affirmative action” practices have on admissions to schools like Harvard would logically do more to increase the acceptance rates of all other applicants, including Asian Americans.

But for the Students for Fair Admissions, going after other minority groups makes the most sense. It is the easier route for them, coupled with the dream route for Blum.

SPORTS

15

"Ouchtown, population you, Bro!" -Dodgeball

Press Photography Network/Special to College of DuPage

DODGE DUCK DIP DIVE AND DODGE Miguel Contreras III, Sports Editor

Four teams of four guys, four balls per match and a whole lot of swagger. At first, COD’s intramural event seemed to resonate off the ultimate Frisbee league that flopped earlier in this semester. Athletic staff shot baskets with foam balls while looking towards the clock that ticked well past the scheduled start time.

Then they arrived in a drove.

The echoey gym turned into a steady cacophony of good-natured taunting and competitive banter.

This only stoked the flame beneath the arm cannons that hurled foam balls ricocheting off of bodies, wood and curtains.

The opening match took so long it had to be decided by a one-onone open court sudden death that concluded with a failed block and a shot just grazing the losers finger.

The rest of the fiery competition extinguished as quickly as it was ignited. The second match ebbed and

flowed dramatically as a series of caught balls massively swung the momentum to one against four. What followed was a barrage of spherical missiles that rapidly sent the tournament to the final round.

With unrelenting confidence emanating from both sides, the gauntlet was thrown down, and the balls were rushed. Fumbled grabs and lofty throws resulted in swift eliminations for both sides. With one team in a precarious game state, their teammates called for them to catch the balls that sailed in their direction. They hit them in the hands; then they hit the hardwood.

That left a single teammate in a one against situation. /the opposition outed him in quick order as they batted his desperate, airborne ball skyward to be easily caught by a teammate and finish the tournament with style.

Matt Cousins, who coordinates intramurals at COD, spoke well of

the event and looks forward to future opportunities.

“There were three teams who competed in this fast-paced, spirited game with an eventual champion crowned. We would have enjoyed more teams competing but felt like those who did take part in the tournament had fun.

“This was the last Intramural event for the fall semester,” Cousins continued. “The Intramural Department is already planning for spring 2019 and beyond. For spring, we hope to offer events such as indoor soccer, bags, multiple basketball competitions, volleyball and a new game called ‘Can Jam.’ Can Jam is a game that is a cross between Frisbee, bags and horseshoes. We are excited to offer these opportunities to the entire college community and look forward to what the future will bring.”

16

Winter Wonderland Bing Crosby

A holiday classic performed by one of the best voices around. I love the cheerful feel of this Christmas song in particular. Though I cannot handle any ounce of cold very well at all, this song makes me want to go walk around in the snow and maybe build a snowman in the process.

Reanna Comiso

Little Drummer Boy Josh Groban

This version of the Christmas classic features a key change, a little bit of a rhythm change and an unconventional chord progression that drew me in instantly. My favorite part of the song has to be the intro and outro when Groban’s powerful vocals is accompanied mainly by the soft strum of a guitar, perfectly encapsulating that warm and loving feel this season brings.

Kimberly Wilson

Happy Xmas (War is Over) John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band

Outside of Reykjavik, Iceland, a beam of light cuts through the impenetrable winter darkness. A radiance of hope emanating from a white stone monument, inscribed, “Imagine Peace.” Over a million hand-written wishes tied by Lennon’s admirers at the base. Lennon left us his ultimate wish of human empowerment. War is a concept we too willingly accept as a truth. War is a justification for our insecurities. The greatest revolutions are the self-realization of peace. John has been gone 38 years, but as long as hope persists, there is a light that never goes out.

Joey Weslo

Carol of the Bells David Foster and Trans-Siberian Orchestra

I love all Christmas music in general, but this is personally my all-time favorite Christmas song. It’s a timeless classic. I feel it’s about one of the most epic Christmas songs. The TSO and David Foster versions both carry a lot of feeling in them. Both these versions really set the mood for the Christmas season, and to me Christmas would not be the same without this song

John Noonan

Christmas Don’t Be Late Alvin & The Chipmunks

I feel a bit ashamed to say this is one of my favorite Christmas songs, but it reminds me too much of being a kid to lie about it. This was always my favorite Christmas song growing up. I would spend hours waiting for it to be played on the radio, and it was worth it every time.

It has just the right amount of nostalgia to remain one of my favorite holiday songs, no matter how embarrassing it might be. We all have our guilty pleasures.

Reanna Comiso

1st Nowell Ottmar Liebert

Ottmar Liebert is a Grammy winning flamenco guitarist whose Christmas album is perfect for those who are tired of Christmas music, but still want a festive background soundtrack which reminds them of a song they heard in an elevator once. The Christmas album, “Poets & Angels,” which was released in 1990 and went double platinum, is unlike many other gimmicky Christmas releases, in my opinion, as this album never gets old.

Tessa Morton

17

Father Christmas The Kinks ‘Zat You, Santa Claus?

Louis Armstrong

The creep level is so high. That was the funniest thing to me as a child.

These days I just love some bizarre lyrics and good jazz.

Brandon Beckwith

All I Want for Christmas is You Mariah Carey

A song that seems to climb the pop charts every holiday season, this song, at least to me is one of the most iconic christmas songs of the 21st century.

Alison Pfaff

An antidote to the chauvinistic capitalism shoved down our throats every holiday season. Christmas is a celebration of socio-economic disparity.

The rich get away with monetizing and commercializing every inch of society we fail to protect with vigilance. Through the tremulous melodies of city silver bells, the vigilance of the poor has always been a resilient, discordant punk riff. I wonder how many desperate mouths would be fed if somebody robbed all the opulent, ungrateful shoppers throwing their riches away on Michigan Avenue. Merry Christmas everyone.

Joey Weslo

That’s Christmas to Me Pentatonix

I love every one of the Christmas carols that Pentatonix has released. This song really reminds me of the best parts of the holidays, and now every Christmas I listen to a Pentatonix playlist on repeat. As I worked in a A Pimp’s Christmas shopping mall for multiple holiday seasons in a row, I can no longer stand Snoop Dogg the traditional carol. If I hear “All I want for Christmas is You” one more Christmas music has never been my favorite. I don’t hate Christmas, time, I might lose it. Pentatonix has reimagined carols that have been but I get bored of listening to the same songs on the radio that play on played to death and, in my mind, they saved Christmas. a loop for almost two months. That’s why I’m always looking for new Tessa Morton and unique songs that will still get me in the holiday spirit. Snoop Dogg has always been one of my favorite artists and his 20 song Christmas album, Snoop Dogg Presents Christmas in tha Dogg House, has always been my go-to Christmas jam. Although it may not be the album my family chooses when picking Christmas music, Snoop Dogg will always be mine. He never fails to lighten the mood amongst our family throughout the holidays.

Madison Venckus

YOU CAN FIND THE COURIER SPOTIFY PLAYLIST AT CODCOURIER.ORG

NEWS COFFEE BREAK

18

THEME:

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

ACROSS 1. Snap up 5. Ship pronoun 8. Table scrap 11. Not happening 12. Call to matey 13. Boredom 15. Decant 16. Pilaf grain 17. Charcuterie stores 18. *"A ____ for the rest of us!"- from "Seinfeld" 20. Gwyneth, to friends 21. Thing to bear?

22. Comedian Tina 23. *Warmest or holiday follower 26. Feeling of disinterest 30. Sculptor Hans/Jean ___ 31. Chief 34. Assistant 35. Used in cricket or 301 37. *Feast of the Seven Fishes seafood 38. Tanks and such 39. Purse for a formal affair 40. All together 42. Make a mistake 43. Green bean or peanut 45. Infamous ____ Knoll 47. Charge carrier 48. *____ Navidad!

50. Hindu princess 52. *This theme wouldn't exist without them 55. Swines, in Old English 56. Dashing style 57. Between a trot and a gallop 59. Corpulent 60. Ding-a-____ 61. Knight's breastplate 62. "I Thee ____" 63. Pea container 64. Not a word?

DOWN 1. Econ. measure 2. *Where Santa's sleigh lands 3. Malaria symptom 4. Russian soup 5. Prison weapon, pl.

6. Bette Midler's "____ Pocus" 7. *"Tiny tots with their ____ all aglow" 8. Billy Joel's "____ the Good Die Young" 9. The Colosseum, e.g.

10. *____ the season!

12. Not aria nor recitative 13. Landscaper's tool 14. *Welcomed with a count down 19. Weight of refuse and chaff, pl.

22. Driving hazard 23. Does like a crane 24. About to explode 25. Celiac disease, colloquially 26. ____ weevil 27. March of ____ 28. Emanations from incense and frankincense 29. *Christmas predecessor 32. Be undecided 33. Cotillion ball's main attraction 36. *Good follower 38. Like smell of burning rubber, e.g.

40. Long time 41. Staring amorously 44. Coolness and composure 46. Popular flowering shrub 48. Shakespeare's "First ____" 49. African antelope 50. RBG's garb 51. Matured like cheese 52. SOS 53. Quotable Berra 54. What DJs do 55. Reporter's question 58. Is in Paris

COFFEE BREAK

19

COLLEGE OF DUPAGE WEEKLY WEATHER FORECAST Made Possible by the COD Meteorology Department WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY

CLOUDY

MORNING SNOW

MID 30'S

UPPER 20'S

PARTLY CLOUDY LOW 40'S

CLOUDY

MID 30'S

LOW 40'S

LOW 30'S

PARTLY CLOUDY LOW 40'S

UPPER 20'S

SUNDAY - TUESDAY SUMMARY As we go through the latter half of the weekend and into the start of next week, there is good model agreement on high pressure being situated across the Midwest, keeping our weather quiet with no real chances for precipitation.

Sunday will be the warmest day of the stretch with highs in the low 40's before another shot of cold air invades the Midwest on Monday and Tuesday of next week, bringing a return to below normal temperatures and highs in the 30's.

LEVEL UP PODCAST WITH KENNETH MCKINNEY

FRIDAYS ON CODCOURIER.ORG

STUDENT JOB OPENINGS PAID POSITION FOR STUDENTS WITH AT LEAST 6 CREDIT HOURS

• • • •

FEATURES EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR FREELANCE ARTIST

EMAIL EDITOR@COD.EDU FOR MORE DETAILS