9 20 2017

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STEPPING UP

SOCCER SLIP

Sophomore soccer player Johnny Huerta talks about how the team’s mindset needs to change for the rest of the season.

Eastern men’s soccer team loses third game in a row

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D aily E astern N ews

“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID” Wednesday, September 20, 2017 C E L E BRATI NG A CE NT UR Y OF COVE RA GE E S T . 1 915

VOL. 102 | NO. 23 W W W . D A I L Y E A S TE R N N E W S . C O M

CHRISSY MILLER | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS

Members of the Faculty Senate discuss changing the name of Douglas Hall at a Tuesday afternoon meeting. The Faculty Senate ultimately decided to vote on sending the decision to a naming committee at its next meeting.

Faculty Senate continues Douglas Hall discussion By Chrissy Miller News Editor | @DEN_News The Faculty Senate continued the discussion regarding renaming Douglas Hall and decided to take a vote on it at its next meeting. Faculty Senate member Todd Bruns proposed voting in the next meeting on sending the decision to a naming committee, to continue the discussion on campus climate and make sure Eastern is a friendly place for all students. A resolution would be drafted that is structured in a way that Faculty Senate would be involved in the conversation. Faculty Senate chair Jemmie Robertson and Faculty Senate member Teshome Abebe said they plan to draft this resolution. Robertson said he would like to get the Eastern community more involved in this discussion and see what the political climate of Eastern is like before moving forward too rapidly. “I think before we proceed we should reach out to a diverse number of constituency groups and other on-campus groups before we feel there is enough organic supporters for it to move forward,” Robertson said. Psychology professor Joe Williams started the overall discussion with a mem-

ory from 1956. He said on a schoolyard back then, a white child began playing with a black boy and girl when a third-grade teacher approached them and told the little boy and girl of color they had to leave because they did not belong there. “Confused, the white child asked, ‘Why can’t they play with me?’ And she replied, ‘Because they are negroes and they are not like us.’ It was a terrible thing to say to a child. That child has carried the memory of that first occasion of prejudice to this very day. The world changed for that child on that day,” Williams said. “You see, I am that white child.” Williams said he holds the memory of seeing those two children, who he never saw again, walking away with their heads down, and it makes him angry. However, he said the Senate should be cautious against making the decision too quickly without first considering the actual Lincoln Douglas Debates. “…The Lincoln Douglas Debates were critical to Americans standing up and making a choice, were critical to Americans standing up and making the right choice, were critical to Americans standing up and saying, ‘we’re not going to live in a country that supports slavery,” Williams said. Williams said instead of being offend-

ed by the hall’s name, students should be honored to live in a hall that commemorates the debates which led to “freedom for all men.” Williams said he would be willing to vote for removing the individual names of both Douglas and Lincoln Halls, and renaming them the Lincoln DouglasDebate halls which would have an East and West wing. Senate member Grant Sterling said this debate is not organic in nature and does not seem to concern most of his students. In fact, he noted most of his students did not even know who the hall was named after. In one class, Sterling said he found the same number of students who knew who the person Booth Library was named after as who could name why the Lincoln Douglas Halls were named what they were. In both cases, Sterling said there was only one student. Also at the meeting, the Faculty Senate voted to of disband the Ad hoc Committee for the Review of Workgroup no. 7 recommendations, formed after the conclusion of the vitalization project last year. Chrissy Miller can be reached at 581-2812 or clmiller9@eiu.edu.

CHRISSY MILLER | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS

Psychology professor Joe Williams speaks in front of the Faculty Senate about the potential changing of Douglas Hall’s name.

Volunteerism partnership to help feed senior citizens By AJ Fournier Campus Reporter | @DEN_News Students have the opportunity to give back and help feed senior citizens through the partnership program Eastern has with Peace Meals. Beth Gillespie, interim director of Civic Engagement and Volunteerism, said Peace Meals is an organization that helps provide meals to senior citizens who are homebound with no transportation or are struggling to put food on the table. During the event, volunteers will go

to a nursing home and help with the food stands that Peace Meals brings in, Gillespie said. Gillespie said in order for the senior citizens to be eligible for the service, they have to sign up and provide their information. If they fit the criteria, then they will receive support, whether it is through their nursing homes or brought to their homes. Crystal Brown, assistant director of Civic Engagement and Volunteerism, said Peace Meals brings the food and volunteers help set up and serve it to

the citizens. Eastern has partnered with Peace Meals for one year now. The partnership started after the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteerism met with Peace Meals during Hunger Action Month last year. Hunger Action Month took place in November. During the month, different programs were put on to educate people about food insecurity. “We were looking for ways to connect with the community, and last year when we were planning our

Hunger Action Month we wanted ways for students to get involved directly,” Brown said. The volunteer opportunity is offered twice a month every other Wednesday. “If students are interested in taking part, it is open to anyone on campus,” Brown said. Many students were interested in volunteering with senior citizens, making it a great opportunity and partnership to get involved with, Brown said. “We thought this would be an ideal way to reach out and see if Peace

Meals had any need within their organization,” she added. Gillespie said Peace Meals does offer other services to the citizens in needs besides food, however Eastern only assists with serving food and spending time with seniors. Any students on campus interested in volunteering with Peace Meals can register online at the Office of Civic Engagement and Volunteerism’s website. AJ Fournier can be reached at 581-2812 or ajfournier@eiu.edu.


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