The Daily Northwestern — September 20, 2016

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The Daily Northwestern Tuesday, September 20, 2016

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Graphic by Rachel Dubner

Part of the Black Student Experience Survey asked students for their perceptions of the current campus climate. Eleven percent of the students who completed the survey said they “strongly agree” that Northwestern is a safe place for black students.

Photo Illustration by Jerry Lee

Students gather at the Black House in November 2015 to support students at the University of Missouri and Yale University who protested racial injustice. The NU students later spoke out at the groundbreaking ceremony for the lakeside athletic facility and demanded the University address racial problems on campus. On Monday, the University sent out a report including recommendations to improve the experience of black students at NU.

Graphic by Rachel Dubner

Only 12 percent of black undergraduate seniors reported in 2016 that they are “very satisfied” with their experience at NU. The percentage has decreased steadily since 2010, and the task force report said incidents such as the Black House controversy last year contributed to this drop.

Report: Being a black student at Northwestern is ‘exhausting’ Task force recommends more black students, faculty; privilege training for profs; diversity requirement By MARIANA ALFARO and PETER KOTECKI

daily senior staffers @marianaa_alfaro, @peterkotecki

A landmark report sent out Monday gives a data-rich account of black students at Northwestern feeling dissatisfied, exhausted and alienated on campus. The 150-page report,

Businessman to join race for city mayor

Management consultant Steve Hagerty will be running for Evanston mayor in the April election, he confirmed to The Daily on Monday. Hagerty is the founder and CEO of Hagerty Consulting, an emergency management consulting firm located at 1618 Orrington Ave. Hagerty has not officially launched his campaign yet, saying, “I don’t want to get ahead of my skis on this.” Hagerty served as the chair of the Harley Clarke Citizens Committee, which convened to discuss the future of the Harley Clarke Mansion, a historic site located at 2603 Sheridan Road. As chair, Hagerty gathered information and public opinion about the future of the mansion, which has been a hotly debated topic in the city for the past four years. He led a public event in May 2015 during which five proposals were debated — from demolishing the mansion to

compiled by a University task force, includes 14 recommendations to improve the experience of black students at NU. In part, it recommends the University increase the number of black students, faculty and staff, as well as create a research institute to study cultural competency and administer trainings for NU faculty and staff. It also recommends all undergraduate schools at NU create a

renovating it. Aldermen decided to keep the property in city hands for the foreseeable future and pay for a limited scope of repairs. Hagerty Consulting provides emergency relief consulting for organizations and has worked with Northwestern before to develop emergency plans. The Evanston Chamber of Commerce named Hagerty the Businessperson of the Year in 2015 for his work with emergency response. “Evanston has a really big heart as a community,” Hagerty said in January after receiving the award. Hagerty Consulting also fundraised with Mt. Everest Restaurant, 630 Church St., to raise money for Nepali earthquake survivors in April 2015. Hagerty’s candidacy comes after Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl announced on Twitter in July that she will not run for reelection after serving as mayor for more than seven years. Ald. Brian Miller (9th) announced on Friday that he is in the running for mayor. — Erica Snow

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social inequalities and diversity course requirement focusing on the United States. In its report, the Black Student Experience Task Force notes the difficulty of describing “a single, all-encompassing” black student experience and recognizes that “intersecting identities must be considered.” But in general, the report explores the ways many black students feel unwelcome and

uncomfortable at NU. In surveys and focus groups, students described microaggressions from both faculty and peers. For first-generation college students especially, students talked about not knowing where to seek help when the academic rigor at Northwestern becomes overwhelming. Students also described loneliness from “being the only one” both in social situations

as well as science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Macs Vinson, Associated Student Government executive vice president and a member of the task force, told The Daily that he is more often than not the only black student in his classes. “It is something that I have come to understand is part of the experience of being in

higher education,” the McCormick senior said. “You are the only one.” The task force, which comprised four students and 11 faculty and staff, was created in November 2015 after protests against University plans to move administrative offices into NU’s Black House and Multicultural Center. » See REPORT, page 6

Tisdahl questions mayoral candidate Mayor: Alderman does not work well with others By ERICA SNOW

daily senior staffer @ericasnoww

Ald. Brian Miller’s (9th) campaign launch for Evanston mayor was met with concern from Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl about his ability to work with others. Miller announced his candidacy Friday with a platform aimed to reform city policy and streamline decision-making. He said, as mayor, he would address gun violence in the city and maintaining Evanston’s public facilities. Miller did not consult Tisdahl before announcing his candidacy, the two confirmed. Tisdahl announced on Twitter in July she would not run for a third term as mayor. Although Tisdahl maintained the council’s work has been

“terrific,” Miller said the council could do more for Evanston residents. Tisdahl added she would prefer another candidate and was concerned about Miller’s ability to work with other people after a board member of the Mental Health Board allegedly resigned after a disagreement about funding with Miller. “He’s the only alderman I’ve ever heard of — certainly the only one while I’ve been mayor — who’s caused a (board member) to resign, and he’s running on a reform platform of some sort,” Tisdahl said. “He hasn’t certainly talked to me about it.” Miller said he never spoke directly to the board member before she stepped down but apologized to her after. Miller said the board member agreed with a Mental Health Board recommendation to give $30,000 to an outside organization to address hoarding. Miller said he disagreed with the recommendation because he thought it would be ineffective and Evanston city staff could

better manage the money. Miller said he didn’t understand why the board member resigned and maintains he works well with others. “Our job as a City Council is to make decisions,” Miller said. “Sometimes they’re hard decisions. Sometimes people aren’t happy about those decisions. If someone is unhappy with a decision, and that means I don’t work well with them because I make that decision, I hope to actually talk to that individual and tell them where I’m coming from in an honest and straightforward manner.” Tisdahl appointed Miller as alderman in May 2015 because he was “ready,” she told the Daily. She added that the mayor’s role interacting with community members, Northwestern administration and students means the next mayor must be able to engage with them. “You’d have to be a bit more positive as mayor,” Tisdahl said. “As mayor, your job is to appoint people to boards and commissions … and obviously you need to be encouraging and positive about

their work if you’re going to get people to volunteer.” Tisdahl also disagreed with the reform-focused platform and said she wanted the next mayor to focus on affordable housing, healthcare and sustainability. Miller stood by his platform, adding that he and Tisdahl have had “policy disagreements” and he wants to allocate more resources to lessening gun violence primarily. He said he wanted to reach decisions as a council faster, be more transparent to the public and continue to improve the collaborative relationship between Northwestern and Evanston. “I would like to set that agenda to do those things that I don’t think we’re currently doing well,” Miller said. “I think the mayor disagrees. She thinks we’re doing enough. I disagree. So in order for me to pursue that agenda, that reform agenda, I felt that I had to run for mayor.” ericasnow2019@u.northwestern. edu

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8


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The Daily Northwestern — September 20, 2016 by The Daily Northwestern - Issuu