The Daily Northwestern Thursday, January 11, 2018
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Flyers condemning fraternities crop up ‘Pseudo Knitting Club’ assails IFC life, recruitment By MADELEINE FERNANDO
daily senior staffer @madeleinemelody
Katie Pach/Daily Senior Staffer
Provost Jonathan Holloway speaks to Faculty Senate on Wednesday. Holloway informed senators that the University’s expenses are projected to outpace its revenue in the 2018 fiscal year.
Holloway alerts faculty of deficit
After 2017 surplus, deficit of up to $100 million projected for 2018 By GABBY BIRENBAUM
the daily northwestern @birenbomb
The University’s expenses are projected to outpace revenue in the coming fiscal year, Provost Jonathan Holloway informed Faculty Senate Wednesday. While Northwestern finished
the 2017 fiscal year with a surplus — albeit its smallest in years — the University is on track to accumulate a deficit ranging between $50 million and $100 million this fiscal year, Holloway said. Considering NU’s operating budget of approximately $2 billion, he classified the deficit as an “annoyance” rather than a problem. “We’re in a moment of
financial challenge, but we are not in crisis — not by a longshot,” Holloway said. “But, we have some work to do.” Holloway, whose address was the first of what he intends to make an annual update to the Faculty Senate, explained that while NU’s long-term financial trajectory is strong, the University is facing a short-term
struggle. Some senators expressed surprise at the news of the deficit. “Everything financial always seemed pretty rosy,” said Feinberg Prof. Lois Hedman. The additional expenses came from the maintenance and utilities costs of new buildings, hiring » See DEFICIT, page 6
With Interfraternity Council recruitment in full swing, flyers condemning fraternity life and recruitment were spotted early in the week at several locations across campus, including Kresge Hall and Sargent Hall. The flyers, posted by an unrecognized group calling itself “The Pseudo Knitting Club,” begin with “Have you considered joining a fraternity?” and continue to pose a series of questions that criticize fraternity life and associate fraternities with racism, classism and misogyny. “Were you thought of as ‘uncool’ in high school? A loner, perhaps?” the flyer reads. “Are you looking for a way to ‘reinvent’ yourself in college and finally join the ‘in-crowd’ you so desperately desired to be a part of your entire life?” Medill freshman Arudi Masinjila said she first saw the flyer in Sargent Hall and believed it was a real club trying to recruit new members. On second glance, she read the content more closely and called it “truthful slander” toward fraternities.
“It’s funny but it also raises important questions with a tinge of humor, which a lot of times is an effective way to get people thinking,” she said. Kourtney Gray, director of Student Organizations and Activities, said the flyers are not in line with University policies. According to SOA publicity and advertising policies, only formally recognized organizations are permitted to post banners or flyers on campus. “The Pseudo Knitting Club” is not a registered student organization, Gray said. “It doesn’t follow our posting guidelines and there’s no organization by that name, so both are not approved,” he said. “Entities that are not (the University) … have to get approval through certain departments or certain buildings to even post on campus before they do that.” IFC president Rodney Orr told The Daily his initial reaction upon seeing the posters was disappointment. Orr said the flyers overgeneralize by using the word “fraternity” when they are specifically referencing the historical precedence of white fraternities. The SESP senior said this ignores the communities of National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greek Council fraternities. “The message is still the concept that fraternities, particularly » See POSTERS, page 6
NU commits to up Clergy calm as housing tax up in air low-income admits Rulings on tax-exempt allowances may soon end longtime practice Pledge prioritizes low, moderate income students By ALLIE GOULDING
daily senior staffer @alliejennaaa
Northwestern recently joined more than 80 colleges and universities in a pledge to recruit more low- and moderate-income students by 2025. The American Talent Initiative works with universities that consistently graduate at least 70 percent of their students in six years to enroll and graduate an additional 50,000 low- and moderate-income students by 2025, according to its website. Member organizations set individual goals, such as prioritizing need-based financial aid and recruiting students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds through “robust outreach,” the website said. “We joined ATI during the our last recruitment cycle and plan to become a more active, fullyengaged partner in the coming years,” University spokesman Bob Rowley told The Daily in an
email. “Already, we’ve participated in a webinar on media strategy, and we plan to integrate their #activatetalent campaign into our social media.” The initiative has grown since it began in December 2016 with 30 original members, adding dozens more “selective” colleges and universities in 2017. According to Northwestern, about 19 percent of the students in the class of 2021 are Pell-eligible. This marked an increase from the class of 2019, which was about 15 percent Pell-eligible students, according to a news release. Associate provost for University enrollment Michael Mills told The Daily in an email that joining ATI was a way to “make a very public pronouncement that enrolling more low-income students is our top priority.” Mills said Northwestern aims to have Pell Grant recipients make up 20 percent of its entering class by 2020. NU created Student Enrichment Services in 2014 to help low-income and first-generation students navigate campus resources and build an inclusive » See PLEDGE, page 6
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
By CLARE PROCTOR
the daily northwestern @ceproctor23
The Rev. Andy Guffey had an unusual reaction when he learned clergies are at risk of
losing their tax-exempt status on housing allowances. Initially “annoyed,” the leader of Canterbury Northwestern, the campus Episcopal ministry, quickly changed his perspective to consider potential benefits, he said.
“It might actually simplify our taxes,” Guffey said. “The housing allowance is exempt from federal income tax, but not from social security, which we have to calculate at the end of the year. It’s a lot of time and energy to do
Daily file photo by Jeffrey Wang
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 1004 Greenwood St. A federal ruling in October declared that tax-free housing allowances for clergies violated the Establishment Clause, which maintains the separation of church and state.
that.” A federal ruling in October declared that tax-free housing allowances for clergies violated the Establishment Clause, which maintains the separation of church and state. The Freedom from Religion Foundation filed the lawsuit in the case. The lawsuit rests on the basis that these allowances provide “special tax privileges” to religious workers alone, not to comparable secular workers, said Patrick Elliott, attorney and member of the foundation. “The fact that ministers are given this benefit and no other taxpayers (get it) violates the Establishment Clause,” Elliott said. “It advances religion and puts more money in their pockets to put toward religious purposes.” The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ruled the practice unconstitutional in October, but the appellate level will review the decision. Elliott said he anticipates that the » See CLERGY, page 6
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