TUNES ON TUESDAY
Charleston band Motherlode performed at Kiwanis Park Tuesday to families and community members.
FRESH FACES
The Ohio football team changes quarterback and running back heading into its game against Eastern Saturday. PAGE 8
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Dai ly Eastern News
THE
W W W .D A I L YE A S TE R N N E W S. C O M
Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2014
VOL. 99 | NO. 22
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
U.S. Senator to visit Eastern Stephanie Markham News Editor | @stephm2o2 U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin will be on campus Thursday to speak about student loan debt and to assist with voter registrations. Durbin is one of the sponsors of the Bank on Students Loan Fairness Act, a bill that is attempting to keep the interest rate down for federal subsidized student loans. The bill would make the interest rate at which students must pay back their loans the same as the rate at which banks must pay back loans from the federal government, according to the bill’s summary. Durbin is giving a press conference about student loan debt at 10 a.m. Thursday in the Arcola-Tuscola Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union. Ron Holmes, the secretary of Durbin’s campaign, said the U.S. Senate is debating the issue of refinancing student loans in an effort to make going to college more affordable. “(The bill) says the same way you can refinance a car or your mortgage, you would be able to refinance your student loan,” Holmes said.
JEHAD ABBED|THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Students chanted and raised hand-written signs during the SLUT Walk on Tuesday while marching past the Biological Sciences building.
DURBIN, page 5
Newspapers stolen from campus locations Staff Reporter | @DEN_News Tuesday’s edition of The Daily Eastern News was reportedly taken from the newspaper stands across campus. Stacks of the newspapers stolen were reportedly stolen from Coleman Hall, Old Main, Booth Library and the residence halls. A police report with the University Police Department was filed Tuesday morning. No further information was available from UPD as of press time. John Ryan, the director of student publications and adviser for The News, said this was not the first time something like this has happened. He added, in each instance, the person responsible was prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Arlene Brown, the Booth Library office manager, said library workers would be looking at security footage to try and identify whoever stole the newspapers. Stories from Tuesday’s edition of The News can be found on The News website, dailyeasternnews.com. Anyone who has information about the theft is encouraged to contact The News at 217-581-2812. The staff of The Daily Eastern News can be reached at 581-2812 or dennewsdesk@gmail.com.
CL ARISSA J. WILSON| THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Participants of the Women's Empowerment League chalked "S.L.U.T. WALK" to promote awareness for victims of sexual assault on campus Monday on the Dounda steps.
CL ARISSA J. WILSON| THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Participants of the Women's Empowerment League created signs for the S.L.U.T. Walk to send a message to the campus about issues of sexual assault on Tuesday evening.
Students march to raise awareness of sexual assault By Clarissa J. Wilson Staff Reporter | @DEN_News Standing up for victims of sexual assault, the Women’s Empowerment League gathered on the South Quad Tuesday evening. The S.L.U.T. Walk, known as Satirically Lessening Unfair Theories, was designed for students to understand the stereotypical scenarios that women and men face. While onlookers watched, the Women’s Empowerment League walked through the campus chanting for justice. Issues such as the “blame-game” were addressed. The “blame game” is when society places women in a scenario where they are asking to be raped based on their attire. Dana Gilbertsen, the president of Women’s Empowerment league, said that it’s a “super-empowering” event that gives women and men the courage to speak out. Despite the attendance of the S.LU.T Walk being predominantly women, men
“I think it affects women everywhere, just in general. We are not equal to men. As an organization, we just kind of fight to abolish things like that.” Caroline Wood, a senior biological sciences major
also offered their support for the cause. “The Women’s Empowerment League has about two or three men in the organization who help to make all the difference,” Gilbertsen said. She said the issues that arise from sexual assault are not only a “woman’s problem,” but they affect everyone as a community. She also said the media portrayals of women make them feel as though they are the reasons for being raped or sexual assaulted. Caroline Wood, a senior biological sciences major, said the organization really focuses on gender and women’s equality across the board, on campus and in the workplace.
“I think it affects women everywhere, just in general. We are not equal to men. As an organization, we just kind of fight to abolish things like that,” Wood said. Wood also said although she did not attend last year’s S.L.U.T. Walk, she recognized a shift of support from the males on campus in understanding these issues that the organization discusses. The S.L.U.T. Walk essentially started from a class held by Jeanie Ludlow, coordinator of the women’s studies program. “ We had our first S.L.U.T. Walk last year in the spring. They planned it for part of the class and then decided to do it again outside of the class,” Ludlow said. MARCH page 5