The Daily Northwestern Friday, March 9, 2018
DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 16 SPORTS/Women’s Basketball
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3 CAMPUS/Admissions
NU players develop off-court friendships
Medill reports 24 percent spike in applications for next academic school year
4 OPINION/Editorial
Vote Biss, but more importantly, just vote
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With more demands for accessibility, NU aims to close gaps By JAKE HOLLAND
daily senior staffer @jakeholland97
Accessibility does not rank highly on Northwestern students’ list of priorities. In one section of Associated Student Government’s most recent
annual analytics survey, Northwestern students were asked to allocate points among 16 prompts, said Austin Gardner, ASG’s vice president for accessibility and inclusion. Of the options, increasing funding for AccessibleNU ranked 14th on average, Gardner said. According to a January report by the Northwestern Accessibility Council, 2 percent of students registered
with AccessibleNU during Fiscal Year 2016 were blind or visually impaired. The study — which details different ways Northwestern’s campuses can be made more accessible for students with these and other disabilities — is one of a few steps the University has taken to better address accommodations for students and staff. Students with vision disabilities
usually require additional accommodations in the classroom, such as enlarged course materials and extended time on assessments. Outside the classroom, these students may face obstacles like poor signage and obstructed walking routes. » See ACCESSIBILITY, page 8
Illustration by Colin Lynch Daily file photo by Katie Pach
Three leading Dems vie for governor Judge axes Kipnis’ Pritzker, Biss, Kennedy trade barbs as March 20 primary nears By RYAN WANGMAN
daily senior staffer @ryanwangman
Four years ago, Bruce Rauner became the first Republican to net the governor’s seat in Illinois in over a decade. Now, after over three year’s of Rauner’s unpopular tenure, which saw Illinois without a budget from 2015 into 2017 and featured a tense rivalry with House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago), Democratic Party hopefuls are aiming to take the seat back. Three major contenders have pulled away from the rest of the pack: J.B. Pritzker, a billionaire businessman who is the heir to the Hyatt Hotel fortune, State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston), a local legislator pushing progressive policy, and Chris Kennedy, an anti-establishment businessman who is the son of former U.S. Senator Robert Kennedy. Each of the three has struggled to take a firm hold on the race, but feverish campaigning will reach its conclusion for all but one candidate on March 20, when the winner of the Democratic primary will be determined and advance to the general election in November.
lawsuit dismissal Court to hear claims made by graduate student
By MADDIE BURAKOFF
daily senior staffer @madsburk
Daily file photo by Colin Boyle
Daily file photo by Noah Frick-Alofs
Jose M. Osorio/Chicago Tribune/TNS
(From left) Billionaire J.B. Pritzker. State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston). Businessman Chris Kennedy.
The Billionaire
Pritzker is a Chicago native and a graduate of Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law. He is by far the wealthiest of the candidates, with an estimated net worth of $3.5 billion, according to Forbes. Pritzker has centered his campaign on restoring a balanced budget to the state to address its poor fiscal condition, and has said he will prioritize increased investment in education spending across the state. Pritzker also has said he wants to focus on “restoring and rebuilding” Illinois’ social services.
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
The billionaire has received endorsements from both of the state’s U.S. senators and many state lawmakers, as well as the Cook County Democratic Party and a few major labor unions. However, Pritzker has faced criticism after a leaked wiretap conversation between him and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich discussing filling Barack Obama’s vacant senate seat. In the conversations, Pritzker said appointing Jesse White would “cover you on the African-American thing” and that White was the “least offensive”
of the candidates for the job. A Feb. 18 poll of Democratic voters from Cook County found that Pritzker held a slim 3 percentage point lead over Kennedy. However, a more recent poll from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale — which sampled 472 Democratic voters from across the state — showed Pritzker with 31 percent of the vote, 10 percentage points ahead of the next closest challenger, Biss, » See GOVERNOR, page 13
A judge decided Tuesday to proceed with a lawsuit filed by a graduate student against Communication Prof. Laura Kipnis and HarperCollins Publishers, declining to grant a motion filed by the defendants in July to dismiss the suit. The July motion by Kipnis and HarperCollins to dismiss the case on all counts with prejudice stated the student could not state “any plausible claim for relief.” A memorandum in opposition was filed by the student in August, and Northern District of Illinois Judge John Blakey decided Tuesday to deny the defendants’ motion to dismiss. “The Court finds that Plaintiff ’s allegations suffice to state claims of publication of private facts, false light invasion of privacy, defamation and intentional
infliction of (emotional) distress,” Blakey wrote. The student, using the pseudonym Jane Doe, filed the suit in May in response to Kipnis’ book, “Unwanted Advances: Sexual Paranoia Comes to Campus.” In the book, Kipnis criticizes Northwestern’s Title IX procedures, detailing Kipnis’ experience with the process and discussing two Title IX complaints filed by Doe and another student against former philosophy Prof. Peter Ludlow accusing him of sexual assault. Doe’s suit alleges that the book, which has received national attention, intentionally misrepresents facts and publishes private and unnecessary details about her. As quoted in the Tuesday order, the lawsuit calls “Unwanted Advances” a book “that — page after page — exposes extremely private and painful parts of Plaintiff ’s life, makes false statements about her conduct, brands her a vengeful liar and turns this promising young graduate student’s life upside down for the entire world to see.” » See KIPNIS, page 13
INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 12 | Sports 16
2 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
AROUND TOWN After tensions, 5th Ward reevaluates water pump By JULIA ESPARZA
daily senior staffer @juliaesparza10
Residents of the 5th Ward said they felt a “little better” after going on a tour of a water pumping station similar to the one that will be constructed near their homes in June. Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th) and city engineering and capital planning bureau chief Lara Biggs led 5th Ward residents on a tour of the water pumping station at 2530 Gross Point Rd. to show them what the station will look like and answer questions. On Feb. 13, the city entered into an agreement with the Morton Grove-Niles Water Commission to supply them with water from a pump station, which the city will construct on a lot at 2525 Church St. The land was previously designated for “recreational use.” Biggs told the crowd of about 10 people that the station on Church Street would not create significant noise pollution and there would not be excessive lighting on the building. She added that the facility will be under constant surveillance. She said the city negotiated with the water commission to have the facility constructed in a part of the lot that would cost them more but would be less obstructive to residents and allow other developments on the land. “(The decision to install the pumping station) was quicker than it normally would be, but after
POLICE BLOTTER Burglary reported at childcare facility
An employee of Childtime daycare reported a burglary at the facility Wednesday. The Skokie resident said she arrived at the daycare in the 300 block of Ridge Avenue about 6:10 a.m. and found a camera and laptop missing from the building, Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew said. The woman said the facility was thought to have been closed and secured at 6:35
Colin Boyle / Daily Senior Staffer
People tour of a water pumping station at 2530 Gross Point Road. Ald. Robin Rue Simmons (5th) said the facility is similar to the one that will be constructed at 2525 Church St.
problems with Skokie we had to move quickly,” Biggs said, referring to an agreement between Skokie and the commission that fell through. Biggs said an Evanston capital improvements project will pay for the demolition of a vacant school
building currently on the lot in late April. She added the Morton Grove-Niles Water Commission will pay for the construction and maintenance of the pumping station which is set to begin in June. Plans to construct recreational facilities on the
p.m. the night before. She said the burglary must have occured between closing and her arriving the next day. She told police that after checking the buildings doors a second time, she found two had not been shut all the way and that may have been how the burglar entered the building. Police did not find any signs of forced entry. There were no children in the building at the time, Glew said. Nothing else was discovered missing.
Glew said there were no security cameras on the premises and police do not have any suspects.
Women reports aggravated and sexual assaults Wednesday
Police arrested a 21-year-old Evanston resident in connection with violating an order of protection at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Police responded to an incident involving aggravated assault and sexual assault that occurred at a home in the 1700 block of Monroe Street.
lot, which will be an extension to Beck Park, are not definite yet. Rue Simmons told the group that constructing a splash pad, soccer field or bathrooms is still up for discussion. Resident Glenn Mackey said he would have appreciated more say in the decision to construct a water pumping station about 200 feet from his home. At the tour, Mackey said several of his neighbors who are senior citizens, object to the instillation of the water pump and the proposed recreational facilities at the site. Mackey told The Daily a task force that was assembled to oppose the pumping station has submitted an appeal to the city. “Do we even want a park? (Evanston) is changing the aesthetics of people who have lived there longer than anyone else in the whole ward,” Mackey said. “The people that live there, that are on that block, their voice should carry a little more weight.” Rue Simmons agreed, but added that she has to think about the other 8,000 residents of the 5th Ward. Rue Simmons said the pumping station will be a benefit to the city. She added that the revenue it will produce will mean the city won’t have to increase taxes or fines, and it won’t have to lay off employees or reduce services. “Right now the only thing that can’t be changed is the pumping station,” Rue Simmons said. “We have an agreement. We need the revenue.” juliainesesparza2020@u.northwestern.edu Police were called to Skokie Hospital on Wednesday night to respond to an 18-year-old Glenview woman who is believed to be the victim of the assaults, Glew said. Glew said when police arrived at the hospital, the woman did not want to press charges. He said drugs were involved in the altercation. Police charged the man with violating an order of protection. — Julia Esparza
THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 3
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
ON CAMPUS Medill applications jump 24 percent By ALEXIS WHITE
the daily northwestern @alexisfwhite
The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications received about 24 percent more undergraduate journalism applications for the 2018-19 school year than from the year before, said Jon Yates, the University’s director of media relations, in an email to The Daily. University President Morton Schapiro said he was excited to hear about the increase and that he hopes the trend continues. “Journalism is … such an important part of the legacy, the future of Northwestern,” Schapiro told The Daily on Thursday. “We have a lot of jewels in the crown, and one of them is Medill.” Medill assistant dean Beth Bennett told The Daily in an email that Medill is “pleased” to see an increase in applications and is “excited to welcome the class of 2022.” “Medill is the only journalism school at a top-15 university,” Bennett said. “And the programs we offer — including Journalism Residency, chances to study in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., and many opportunities to travel and report from abroad — give our students the experiences that lead to successful careers in journalism, media, marketing and beyond.” Medill Prof. emeritus Roger Boye told The Daily there could be a combination of reasons for the jump, such as increased marketing and the rise of Northwestern in national rankings. Boye directs the Medill-Northwestern Journalism Institute, a program through which rising high school seniors can come to Medill and study journalism over the summer. He said he noticed a shift in tone with last year’s applicants to the program, who would now be seniors and may have applied to Medill. “Last March, as I was reading Cherub applications, a number of the Cherub applicants
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Fisk Hall, 1845 Sheridan Road. Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications saw a 24 percent increase in undergraduate applications for the 2018-19 school year.
talked about the media being the enemy and so forth,” Boye told The Daily, referring to the program. “The kinds of things that we hear from Washington. And they said that has increased their desire to study journalism, that they want to help defend democracy.” President Donald Trump — who has made many negative comments about the media — was two months into his presidency last year at this time, Boye pointed out. One of last year’s applicants said people
“scream” fake news about news organizations and that she “felt obliged to clear (journalism’s) name.” Other applicants said they want to ensure accountability and report the truth. “I am armed with a pen, paper and computer,” one application viewed by The Daily said, “ready to join the battle between harsh legitimacy and cushioned lies, regardless of whether I become the good guy or the bad guy.”
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OPINION
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Friday, March 9, 2018
EDITORIAL
The Daily Northwestern endorses Biss for governor We all know it’s true. Young Americans vote at lower rates than older people. At one of the country’s most civically engaged campuses, it’s easy to scoff at the idea of complicity, as we constantly hear Northwestern boast of successful voter registration rates consistently upwards of 96 percent. But that doesn’t always reflect turnout at the polls — and admittedly, campus tends to become particularly dormant during local elections and primaries. The race for Illinois governor has dominated headlines for months, but events surrounding the race have been sparse on campus. Rob Donahue, associate director of the Center for Civic Engagement, told The Daily last month that it is a “particularly pivotal time” for youth voters to think about the impact they can make in elections. To invest in the future of issues affecting Northwestern students, from student loan debt to jobs, he says it’s essential to participate in democracy. We couldn’t agree more. The less students vote in elections, the less officials reflect our needs in policy. We don’t expect you to leave the polls overjoyed on March 20, but you can — at the very least — have a say in who can influence property taxes if you stay in Illinois after graduation. The governor can affect gun control change. The governor
can impact the future of your student loans and the state budget, which, in part, funds financial aid grants for college students across the state. The future of Illinois, and its young people, is at stake in the upcoming gubernatorial election. So don’t sit out.
“
Biss and his platform prioritize those most marginalized in Illinois. He is the best choice for young people, students and Evanston residents.
For the Republicans, incumbent Gov. Bruce Rauner is attempting to fend off state Rep. Jeanne Ives (R-Wheaton). It has been a race marked by divisiveness and racist discourse. In moves denounced by Republicans and Democrats alike, Ives has attacked and mocked many minority groups. In all her Trumpian rhetoric, she is a reflection of the same hateful politics that have divided the country. As for Rauner, we only need look at the status quo to see that his governorship
has done little, if anything, to address Illinois’ social and economic issues. Time and time again, he has proven he is not fit for office. The race is truly one for the lesser of two evils, and while we encourage critical election engagement, we believe neither Rauner nor Ives is right for the future of Illinois. Among the six Democratic candidates, businessmen J.B. Pritzker and Chris Kennedy are leading the gubernatorial race along with state Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston). The race has been marked by debates over the influence of powerful House Speaker Mike Madigan, the property tax system and the corruption prevalent in Illinois politics. Pritzker, who sits at the top of the polls and is far outspending his opponents, is the wrong choice for Illinois: The damning wiretapped phone call between him and former Gov. Rod Blagojevich starkly illustrate that Pritzker’s insider politics are firmly on the wrong side of ethical lines. In the conversation, Pritzker and Blagojevich chat about who should fill Barack Obama’s recently-vacated Senate seat, and at one point, use racialized language. Pritzker is not the guy to take corruption out of Illinois’ politics. As for Kennedy, he’s running on an
admirable platform of gun control and economic equality. But, he has run a poor campaign that has largely featured him railing against Pritzker and Rauner while offering few of his own solutions to the state’s problems. Biss, a self-described “man of the middle class,” is running on a platform including universal health care and a progressive income tax rate. Having spent years teaching math at the University of Chicago, Biss comes from an academic background and prioritizes the quality and affordability of higher education. Since being elected to the General Assembly, Biss has sponsored bills intended to help Illinois address the gender wage gap, unfair student loan practices and the unequal campaign finance system. Biss and his platform prioritize those most marginalized in Illinois. He is the best choice for young people, students and Evanston residents. He’s not self-funded and doesn’t rely on mega-donors for support. These are admirable qualities we support. When you go vote next week, vote Biss. This piece represents the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of The Daily Northwestern. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members or Editorial Board members of The Daily Northwestern.
TV writers need to stop killing their LGBTQ characters JESSECA RODGERS
OP-ED CONTRIBUTER
the
Spectrum
This essay is part of The Spectrum, a forum in our Opinion section for marginalized voices to share their perspectives. To submit a piece for The Spectrum or discuss story ideas, please email spectrum@ dailynorthwestern.com. A friend texted me a few weeks ago raving about a TV show she’d started watching called “Supergirl.” I’m not really one for stories about superheroes, and my friend knows this. But,she exclaimed via iMessage, this superhero show is different from most because one of the main female characters is gay. As a gay person, it’s always thrilling for me to see new representation on television and in other media, so I Googled this new show for more information. My excitement was short-lived: “Supergirl” is aired on the CW, a television network notorious for queerbaiting its audiences and then killing off queer characters without
warning. This is an unfortunately common practice that has become more and more popular in recent years — and it is a practice that needs to be changed. Creators of visual media need to stop killing their LGBTQ characters. Besides being predictable and lazy where good writing is concerned, it is one of numerous ways that marginalized people are erased in popular culture. The death of LGBTQ characters in visual media has a history long enough that the phenomenon has its own name: the “Bury Your Gays” trope. It was more specifically known as “Dead Lesbian Syndrome” when the first LGBTQ character death occurred on the 1976 soap opera “Executive Suite.” Today, the trope applies to all characters on the queer spectrum, and it is still a disturbingly prevalent element of television writing. As of early 2018, 194 lesbian and bisexual characters have died on television, and only 29 have survived. This normalization of violence against queer characters has real-world impact on real people. As of mid-2016, LGBTQ people are more likely to be victims of a hate crime than any other minority group. This susceptibility to hate-fueled violence is compounded for people with multiple marginalized identities: Black transgender women face the most violence of anyone in the LGBTQ community. When writers and other media
creators choose to enact violence against marginalized people in their work, it often serves to justify real-world violence in the minds of those who already want to hurt queer people. As people with wide-reaching cultural influence, it is important that they use this power responsibly so that innocent people are not harmed by the carelessness of others.
“
This is an unfortunately common practice that has become more and more popular in recent years — and it is a practice that needs to be changed.
Instead of clinging to this trite and damaging trope, creators could choose to make their LGBTQ characters more real and essential to the overall storylines of their work. The Canadian web series “Carmilla” and the Netflix original sitcom “One Day At A Time” feature queer female lead characters with meaningful relationships to other characters — both platonic and romantic. Creators could also use LGBTQ characters’ plotlines to subvert
the “Bury Your Gays” trope in interesting and impactful ways. “Black Mirror,” a science fiction anthology series on Netflix, used this concept in an episode titled “San Junipero.” “San Junipero” won multiple awards, including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and it is now one of the show’s most well-received and critically celebrated episodes to date. Creators of visual media have to stop killing their LGBTQ characters. It is an exceptionally callous and insensitive example of how marginalized people are consistently erased in popular culture. The “Bury Your Gays” trope feeds on queer audiences’ desire for any sort of representation, and perhaps most dangerously, it normalizes violence against real LGBTQ people. Taking care in the crafting of queer characters’ storylines and their relationships with other characters would benefit both creators and audiences, and it would serve as an important step toward equal treatment of the LGBTQ community in modern society.
Jesseca Rodgers is a Communication senior. She can be contacted at jessecarodgers2017@u.northwestern. edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to spectrum@ dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
A fond farewell, of highs and lows, from the Opinion desk TROY CLOSSON
DAILY COLUMNIST
Running the Opinion Desk for the past two quarters, putting it mildly, has been an experience. If you told me Fall Quarter of my freshman year that I’d end up running this desk once — let alone doing it twice — there’s no way I would’ve believed it. I had literally no interest in writing, editing or publishing opinion columns and didn’t see that changing. Somehow, I still ended up on this desk. And it’s been a journey of highs and lows. I personally could’ve done without the weekly hostile responses — often more like full-fledged essays — to my columns from people who thought the best way to start a productive dialogue was being rude, extra and blatantly offensive. Hearing students throughout campus hate on this section without understanding the work that went into
running it got annoying at times. And I won’t even start on the meme page. But despite how unnecessary much of that was, I still wouldn’t change anything about my time on this desk. After a while, I learned how to ignore the recurrent emails. Hearing people’s issues with this section made me work harder to ensure we didn’t publish offensive, poorly written columns or letters. And luckily, I don’t have a Facebook so I just avoided the memes altogether. But while it’s easy to single out the discouraging elements of doing this, it wasn’t all bad. When I first ran this desk in the fall, I didn’t think I’d be able to handle my own opinions, much less those of everyone else on campus. For a long time, I really had no idea what I was doing. But I’m thankful for all the people who helped me out along the way. I also learned a lot from everyone else who wrote for this section. Many of my columns related to my identities and concerns that connected to them. But reading and editing columns from people whose takes I disagreed with, tackled issues I didn’t understand and
brought perspectives that I’d never considered to the table allowed me to take in as much as I put in to this position. It’s easy to feel like Northwestern is just an echo chamber of progressive ideas — in many ways, it can be— but don’t convince yourself there’s nothing to learn from everyone else here. Speaking from experience on this desk, I know that’s not true. Still, the biggest impact this desk has had on me was more personal. I started off at The Daily as a sports and campus reporter. But I moved to the Opinion desk last winter, largely because I struggled being a student here. Coming from a high school and hometown that were much more racially diverse than Northwestern, I was overwhelmed being a black student here and wasn’t sure if this was a place I could actually get used to. Throughout my time at Opinion, I’ve been able to navigate my identity and actually make sense of it — both in the context of this campus and more broadly. And if I hadn’t written for opinion the past three quarters, I don’t think I’d feel any better about being here. To people who feel the need to criticize
this desk regardless of what we do or don’t publish, remember that the people writing and editing are just students too. Personally, I didn’t really care that much about the hate, but for others, it builds up. If we run insensitive or offensive pieces, call us out. But at the same time, remember that the point of an opinion desk isn’t to agree with everything we print. Even though I’m ready to take a break from Opinion for a while, a big part of me is also going to miss the platform it provides — for me, for other columnists and for anyone else who wants to get something off their chest. Despite the low points throughout the past two quarters, I wouldn’t do any of it differently. I won’t miss the hate mail, but I’ll always be thankful for the hot takes. Troy Closson is a Medill sophomore. He can be contacted at troyclosson@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | OPINION 5
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Women’s Center remains committed to gender equality, women’s history
International Women’s Day is celebrated March 8 in schools and communities throughout the world. The observance grew out of the International Women’s Conference in 1910 as a way to assert women’s rights. Women marched in early parades for voting rights and for the end of employment-based sex discrimination. Today, we dedicate the entire month of March to be inspired by the women that came before us, to reflect on the progress that has been made and to advance a multitude of feminist and gender justice issues. The Women’s Center embodies the spirit of women’s history month through our mission and as we commemorate our 30th anniversary. This landmark year in our history has served as an opportunity for the center to reflect on its work of advocating for a safer and more inclusive campus community and to build greater capacity in order
to redress the gender-based issues that continue to persist at Northwestern. Our 30th anniversary theme, “Critical Intersections,” features programming that examines the critical and transformative impact women have had on Northwestern over the years. On March 1, we honored women across campus who actively advance gender equity in their work as students, staff, faculty and administrators with our Gender Equity in Action Awards. We also honored our long serving associate director, Njoki Kamau, for her 25 years of steadfast commitment to the women of Northwestern. Kamau is a native of Kenya and emigrated to the United States in search of the illusive American dream. Like so many other immigrants, she faces an often hostile social and political landscape yet her experiences have fueled her praxis as an advocate for a safer and more inclusive Northwestern. The Women’s Center works to acknowledges the critical role women play in social movements and social justice work. It was important to us to amplify the role Northwestern alumna Dr. Kathryn Ogletree played as a brazen student leader of
the 1968 Black student takeover of Northwestern’s Bursar’s office and the negotiations that followed. We are honored to have Ogletree as our Women’s History Month speaker on March 15. Ogletree’s and her comrades’ legacies include the development of the Black House as a safe and affirming place on campus for Black students and the founding of the African American Studies program. As the #MeToo and #TimesUp campaigns accelerate the resistance against sexual violence, we found it timely to host a film series in mid-April for Sexual Assault Awareness Month. We will be screening the documentary, The Rape of Recy Taylor, a Civil Rights era film that centers on the gang rape of a young Black woman in 1944 in Alabama and Taylor’s fight for justice with the support of Rosa Parks. The film takes a historical approach to understanding the persistence of sexual violence in society and the long history of women’s resistance and activism to end it. Particularly in this university setting, screening and discussing the film is vital given the chronicity of issues around sexual harassment and assault
on university campuses. The film also holds the potential to spark more nuanced conversations around gender-based violence that are often precipitated by intersecting forms of oppression, which have been suppressed in recently popularized and social media driven feminist responses to sexual violence. While we are living and breathing women’s history month and as we commemorate our 30th anniversary, we at the Women’s Center also recommit ourselves to illuminating the experiences, victories and struggles of women and other gender and sexual minorities on campus and beyond. We also remain committed to offering a feminist perspective to understanding and responding to complex interpersonal, institutional and social issues. Most importantly, at this critical intersection in our university’s history, we stand firmly in our belief that the work of gender equity and inclusion is work everyone at Northwestern should be actively engaged in every month of the year. — Sekile M. Nzinga-Johnson, PhD, MSW Director of the Women’s Center
Turbulence in Italian election results won’t change much ROBERTO VOTTA
DAILY COLUMNIST
This past weekend, Italians took to the polls to vote for their 65th government in just over 70 years, an event significant enough to warrant its own segment on Last Week Tonight With John Oliver. Some went as far as to say that the elections “epitomized everything (in current affairs),” though it is unclear to me how a nation that elected Silvio Berlusconi — Mr. Bunga Bunga himself — four times can be used as a standard for world politics. The real importance of the elections was determining the trajectory of populist movements throughout the Europe — and whether this founding father of the European Union was to join the liberal core of Germany and France, or the eurosceptic periphery of nations including Hungary and Poland. It ended up doing neither. Of the 28 domestic parties contesting the 630 representative seats and the 315 senatorial seats up for grabs, only three turned out to be relevant in the end, and none managed an outright majority. First of these was the Movimento Cinque Stelle (M5S), an anti-establishment party founded by comedian Beppe Grillo in 2009. The M5S, led by 31-year-old Luigi Di Maio, came away with the biggest portion of the votes, standing at 32.2 percent. But Di Maio and his party are widely discredited. The Southern Italian’s only job prior to politics was as a steward at Napoli FC games, in order to, as Berlusconi put it, “watch the games for free.” His party, on the other hand, has no clear platform as
they are locked in turmoil between which conspiracy theory they wish to endorse today. To contextualize how credible of a party they are, on top of all that, they are anti-vaccination. The second relevant party was La Lega, a farright party led by Matteo Salvini, a man whose solution to most problems includes bulldozing gypsy camps and social centers. La Lega was arguably the biggest election winner as their voting share climbed to a whopping 17.69 percent, and they became the leading party of the centre-right coalition with Berlusconi. Yes, Berlusconi managed to ally himself with a movement polling 17 points below him, and then lose to it in the span of a year. Never change, Cavaliere. Finally, there was the incumbent center-left Partito Democratico, one of the few pro-European candidates in the election. PD was also the only party to field a single candidate in nine different constituencies, in a strategy entitled “desperation.” They were the biggest losers of this election, dropping to 18.9 percent of the vote, which shouldn’t be too surprising given their leader Matteo Renzi’s prelation to crushing dissent within his own party rather than proposing a viable platform for his people. Interestingly enough, he was one of the most highly approved premiers in recent history, polling at 40 percent when he took office — truly a case of dying a hero or living long enough to become the villain. But if Berlusconi managed to go through the cycle four times himself, so can his equal in megalomania. Given that nearly 50 percent of voters voted for either the anti-establishment or the far-right party, one might wonder how this changes nothing. How can it be that I just ripped into these candidates, yet
find everything to be business as usual? Although I’d like to keep a long story short and say Italian political incompetence, there are a couple of more expansive answers meriting attention. Firstly, these elections are unlikely to lead to an actual government, as both victorious parties want to govern. Matteo Salvini has stated “we have the right and responsibility to govern” and Luigi Di Maio countered that given their vote share the responsibility is theirs. In addition, it is expected that much of the left-wing of the M5S would revolt should there be some sort of alliance with La Lega. Thus, it is likely that the much-feared MilanRome Axis will not end up happening. A government of purpose — a temporary government in order to pass immediately necessary policies — would also be highly unlikely as the Rosatellum was just passed months ago and it seems unlikely that taxes or immigration require such immediate attention. It was thought that PD could sell their soul and give their share of the votes to one of the two parties, but that also seems unlikely. In a postelection statement — the hurt of the loss apparently leading to the sudden growth of spine — Matteo Renzi stood his ground: “No compromise, we’ll be the opposition party”. Encouraging words from a man whose own coalition partner, Emma Bonino, expressed no confidence in him. The more important argument is that in large part, the results of the votes were in protest to no good alternative existing in Italy. It wasn’t the electorate that changed. The nation wasn’t suddenly inundated by far-right activists who held Italian passports from foreign countries. Instead, a giant migration of disillusioned voters moved toward fringe parties to raise their concerns. PD shifted
U.S. needs secure, reliable voting system JARED BAAS
DAILY COLUMNIST
The 2016 election was a period full of controversy, emotion and nightmarish reporting. For some, the election meant losing many of the American values they held dearest. Others saw it as an opportunity for the U.S. economy to prosper and unemployment to decrease under the watch of President Donald Trump. But regardless of one’s opinions about the results, there remains the fact of interference and technical issues throughout the national election, and this is a problem that must be addressed by the chief election officials for their respective states. One of the most troubling dilemmas to hit U.S. voting systems affected the Illinois Voter Registration System Database in summer 2016. The IVRS is a data storage system containing hordes of sensitive voting information that has the potential to be used maliciously if accessed by the wrong person. While the attack originally went unnoticed, it was brought to attention after server logs noted a huge spike in the processor usage. After careful review from the State Board of Elections IT staff, it was discovered that hackers with foreign IP addresses had been accessing data on their survey for weeks. While later investigations concluded that no data was altered, the severity of the issue still remains. How can voters be confident in putting personal information into an external server that can easily be penetrated by hackers? I consider it extremely lucky that these cyber criminals didn’t do worse, because I believe they have the potential to do so. It is evident that we need to change the
way our sensitive voting information is stored to allow for a safer system of making our voices heard. One solution may be to keep all voting information local instead of placing it on an external server. This would mean that when you go to a physical location to vote, the information you input would be held in a database that is not connected to an external network, keeping it safer from hackers looking to target the whole system. The sad reality is that Illinois, like many states, has attempted to garner money to improve election security. The Help America Vote Act created regulations for voting equipment, but did not secure any additional funds to improve the systems. Instead of complaining about the safety of voting, we should vote in measures to allow for funding to improve security surrounding elections. It is also important to mention the indirect interference with elections as well. While many different types of data were accessed by foreign parties during the 2016 election, there has never been conclusive evidence that any votes themselves were actually altered by an outside source. Just because the physical vote itself was not altered, however, does not mean that voters weren’t impacted. Facebook published an update on their news blog in September 2017 that described their investigation into possibly malicious ads that were posted between June 2015 and May 2017. The report states that while no messages that directly supported any party, candidate or vote were published, they did include various “divisive social and political messages across the ideological spectrum” that were targeted to specific geographic areas. This means people in certain swing states or on the fence areas were singled out for greater advertising on particular topics, attempting to sway their
opinion without them even knowing. Many of these ads were made by sham accounts that clearly violated Facebook policies. Yet, they were able to operate for nearly two years, silently pushing blind users into their corrupt stables. This is my second call to arms: While Facebook claimed they are working to resolve the issue, as American voters, it’s also our job to be an informed electorate. We have to understand where reputable information originates, and that while social media may be a innovative platform for sharing opinions, it also contains many biases that may not always be apparent. Looking toward the 2020 election season, the U.S. government needs to listen to the voice of the people and improve its security to protect the election system against fraud or hacking. The democratic system relies on each citizen freely expressing their vote in a safe and efficient manner — but this is not the structure in which today’s system operates. We need to be confident that, when we go to the polls, our votes are being fairly received and our voices are being heard. It’s unacceptable that the American people should avoid the polls out of fear or distrust that their personal information could be illegally accessed or votes cancelled out by outside influences. Once we rebuild the voting system, we can stop wasting time blaming it for election results and start focusing on the actual issues that affect our country today. Jared Baas is a Weinberg freshman. He can be contacted at jaredbaas2021@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
from 40 percent of the vote in 2014 to 19 percent. More than 15 percent of these voters did not turn out, while an additional 34 percent changed their vote, half which ended up voting M5S. Around 4 percent of PD voters ended up voting for a minority party that was composed of old PD rejects, Liberi e Uguali. While immigration was seen as the key issue of the elections, PD constantly refused to talk about the issue and didn’t even put it on the short form of their manifesto. M5S and La Lega weren’t necessarily good candidates, but PD was inexpressibly out of touch. So what will happen? Hopefully, PD will take this defeat to heart and vote into leadership a fresh face to take them in a better direction, one that deals with the actual concerns of the people. In the meantime, La Lega and M5S are unlikely to form governments, making a second election very probable, at which point the Italian centre-left better have a candidate worth listening to. There is just no way M5S and the centre-right end up building a grand coalition that will last five years, and consequently, there is no reason to believe the fear-mongers who say that this will end the EU. Is it a step forward? No, but it isn’t the first time Italians have had to hold their nose for a few years. We’ve already done it four times with the smell of Bunga Bunga. Roberto Votta is a McCormick freshman. He can be contacted at robertovotta2021@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
The Daily Northwestern Volume 138, Issue 90
Editor in Chief Nora Shelly
Opinion Editor Troy Closson
Managing Editors Yvonne Kim Cole Paxton
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6 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
NU campuses plan demonstrations for gun reform By MADDIE BURAKOFF
daily senior staffer @madsburk
Northwestern students, faculty members and administrators are planning events next Wednesday to show support for the students of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and advocate for gun reform nationwide. At the Evanston campus, students from Northwestern Stands With Marjory Stoneman Douglas, in partnership with UNICEF NU, are planning a set of different “modes” of activism, said Stephanie Bernstein. The Medill senior — one of ten organizers in the grassroots group — said they will hold a walkout, a march and a vigil, focused on honoring the lives of the February school shooting in Parkland, Florida, and pushing for gun reform. The day will begin with a walkout of classes starting at 10 a.m., Bernstein said, in line with the national school walkout movement led by the organizers of the Women’s March. Students will march for 17 minutes — in recognition of the 17 people killed in the shooting — and convene at Deering Meadow, where they will host a number of different speakers including administrators and members of the Evanston community. In the evening, there will be a candlelight vigil to honor victims of the Parkland shooting and other victims of gun violence across the country, including in Chicago and Evanston, Bernstein said. UNICEF NU president Kristen Van Tine said fighting for gun control aligns with her organization’s focus on human, specifically
Associate provost plans to retire after 42 years at Northwestern
Jean Shedd, the associate provost for budget, facilities and analysis, will retire at the end of the academic year, according to a Thursday news release. Shedd served for 42 years at NU and 19 as associate provost. She contributed to creating and mamammamjfjjfjfjfjf jajajajajaja
children’s, rights. Mass shootings in educational spaces threaten both child safety and the “fundamental right” to education, she said. “It’s definitely something that affects all of us,” the Weinberg junior said. “We’re the country with the most mass shootings. … It’s something that is so uniquely American and a huge issue.” Medical students and physicians from Feinberg are also planning a rally in solidarity with the national school walkouts, said second-year Feinberg student Kreena Patel. The event in downtown Chicago will feature speakers including trauma surgeon Nabil Issa and pediatrician Karen Sheehan. A major theme of the event is publicizing the idea of gun violence as a public health issue, Patel said. Organizers hope to advocate for repealing the Dickey Amendment, which many say prevents federal funding for gun research, to allow for more research into potential solutions to the gun violence issue. “Our hope is that our speakers will be able to to tell everyone in attendance things that we as a medical community can do to promote public health-based gun control legislation,” Patel said. “And also … call on us as physicians and as citizens to go out and vote, be politically engaged and don’t let this conversation die out.” As of Thursday night, the Facebook page for the Evanston event had almost 600 responses, which Van Tine said is “really exciting.” The challenge, though, is turning that awareness into political action and tangible change. One of the major goals of the student organizers was to give others specific “action items” to follow up on, Bernstein said, like writing letters to representatives and registering to revamping physical spaces, including the Block Museum of Art and University Library, the release said. Before becoming associate provost, she served in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Feinberg School of Medicine and Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications. Provost Jonathan Holloway said in the release that he “had the honor” of working with Shedd over the past eight months and praised her “wit and mentorship.” “Jean Shedd is the epitome of a true university
WEINBERG FRESHMEN
The world can be different, the world can be better.
Lead the way.
Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS
Hundreds of high school and middle school students gather in front of the White House Feb. 21 in support of gun control in the wake of the Florida shooting. Students, faculty and administrators are planning demonstrations Wednesday to push for gun reform and honor victims of gun violence.
vote. With so many different options of ways to approach gun reform, she said, “doing zero is not an option.” “I want this to be the end. I want Marjory Stoneman Douglas to be the last school shooting,” Bernstein said. “I’m willing to make that
happen, and I know that there are millions of young adults and Americans that are committed to making this the end, but we’ve got to put in the work.”
citizen,” Holloway said. “Her incredible capacity, energy and graciousness of manner have made her a role model for staff, faculty and students at Northwestern.” Shedd also had a strong presence in the Association of Northwestern University Women since the organization’s creation in 1989. According to the release, she served as the president of the association and worked to include all women staff. She also served on committees focusing on family leave and child care to provide options for faculty, staff and
students. “I have very much enjoyed my time at Northwestern,” Shedd said in the release. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with truly amazing faculty, staff and students. Their creativity and dedication have helped the University achieve high levels of excellence. Northwestern is strong and growing stronger, and I am proud to have been able to contribute to that growth.”
madelineburakoff2020@u.northwestern.edu
— Catherine Henderson
Do you ever wonder about national leaders in government, science, business, or community organizations? Do you ever wish they could be better—more thoughtful and reflective, more honest, more courageous, more dedicated? Do you ever think “I could do that better?” We think you can. The Brady Program in Ethics and Civic Life— A three-year academic program for Northwestern University students Sophomore Year Three sequential seminars titled: • “The Good Life” • “The Moral Life” • “The Good Society” Junior Year Study abroad at a location of your choice
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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 7
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
2018 GRAMMY AWARD WINNER: BEST CHORAL PERFORMANCE
Joint NU-ETHS group to host research summit By CAITLIN CHEN
the daily northwestern @caitlinychen
THE CROSSING With the Bienen Contemporary/Early Vocal Ensemble
DONALD NALLY, CONDUCTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 16, 7:30 P.M. GALVIN RECITAL HALL, $30/10 Conducted by Bienen School director of choral organizations Donald Nally, the Grammy Award-winning professional chamber choir makes its Chicago debut with Anonymous Man, a recent commission from Bang on a Can composer Michael Gordon. Also on the program is Gabriel Jackson’s Rigwreck, a meditation on the power of money. 847-467-4000 concertsatbienen.org
Students participating in Northwestern’s Borders and Identities youth research collaborative will host a summit at Evanston Township High School to lead workshops about their research on the Evanston and ETHS Latinx communities. The Youth Participatory Action Research Collaborative is a project that aims to empower young people and students in the Chicago area to “examine their social realities through research,” according to the Borders and Identities Facebook page. For the past 14 weeks, 15 NU students have collaborated with about 30 ETHS students, said Danielle Dougé, a member of Borders and Identities. Borders and Identities co-founder Helen Gutierrez said the collective provides a way for students to work to address problems affecting their own communities. “We really wanted the students to be able to ground their research in their everyday lives,” the SESP junior said. “It’s not just them taking whatever research topic.” Topics include segregation and affordable housing, diversity at ETHS and an analysis of wellness classes in relation to Latinx culture, Dougé said. Latina and Latino Studies Prof. Alejandro Carrión, whose research focuses on the intersection of Latinos and education, said many Chicago students wanted to bridge the gap they feel exists between what they learned at NU and what they see in their communities. Though Borders and Identities is housed within Latina and Latino Studies, the goal of the project is not to explore cultural identities, but to focus on society, he said. “We’re working with students to help recreate their social realities and to not see their social realities as static, but to see that they can be changed and are socially constructed,” Carrión said. “Through research, they can start to address a lot of the social realities and social oppressions around them.” The summit workshops are 90 minutes long,
Dougé said. Throughout the day, the school will also host performances and career panels with Evanston Latinx professionals. This is the group’s second year working with ETHS to host the Latinx Summit, which is part of the school’s Social Consciousness Series. As part of the series, ETHS hosts summits focusing on other identities, including a South Asian Middle Eastern Summit and the Women’s Empowerment Summit. Dougé said that in previous years, students who attended the Latinx summit felt they weren’t involved in the different events and presentations. “They felt they were being talked to, and that they didn’t have a lot of choice in the matter,” the Communication junior said. “We listened to those student concerns first and … we created collaborative projects on topics of their choosing in order to do research and create presentations for the summit.” The event, which is open to ETHS students, will take place Friday. ETHS students need to sign up for workshops, and members of the public who want to participate in the workshops will need to register, Dougé said. caitlinchen2021@u.northwestern.edu
Source: Borders and Identities NU on Facebook
NU and ETHS students prepare for their upcoming summit. Students conducted research about Latinx communities throughout the 2017-2018 school year to present at the summit, which will be held Friday.
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8 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
Graph by Colin Lynch Source: Northwestern Accessibility Council Report
ACCESSIBILITY From page 1
As an increasing number of students seek assistance on a campus not originally set up to accommodate their disabilities, Northwestern staff and students are taking steps to close academic and institutional gaps. In the meantime, students with disabilities grapple with unique needs and challenges. The AccessibleNU office, which works with more than 1,050 students, currently has five fulltime staff members and one employee who splits her time between AccessibleNU and Counseling and Psychological Services. Despite University efforts to make campuses more accessible, however, students with vision disabilities face barriers that able-bodied students and administrators may not even consider. Fouad Hassan, a Communication senior at Northwestern University in Qatar who is legally blind, said accessibility needs differ widely even among students with similar disabilities. Because of this, Hassan said he is unsure if college campuses will ever accomplish “100 percent accessibility.” “Being deaf or being blind have different levels,” Hassan said. “It makes it difficult for even people whose job it is to promote accessibility to fully accommodate everyone.”
Making Northwestern accessible
The number of students registered with AccessibleNU has increased significantly over the past 10 years, said AccessibleNU director Alison May. May (Communication ’02) said there were only about 300 students registered with the office when she began working there in 2007. Now, about 9 percent of undergraduate students — roughly 750 out of the more than 1,050 served by the office — are registered with AccessibleNU, May said. She said the uptick in the number of students served is partly due to the lengthy adoption process of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which became effective in 1990. AccessibleNU works with any students taking for-credit classes, including online students and those in the School of Professional Studies, May said. Students with disabilities face many difficulties navigating life on campus, and within the constraints of the quarter system, even figuring out when to schedule doctor’s appointments can pose a challenge, she said. “Our goal and mission is to provide them equal access via reasonable accommodations or adjustments,” May said. “The students that we work with in the office are just some of the brightest — because they have to be.” The AccessibleNU office currently works with 16 students who have some form of visual impairment, and 17 deaf or hard of hearing students, May said. The vast majority of students AccessibleNU serves have primary conditions including long-term psychological conditions, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders and learning disabilities. “We’re trying to do more, especially as the numbers grow, to build accessibility more broadly into campus classes,” May said. “We’re promoting the idea that accessibility is a campus-wide responsibility.” In its report, the Northwestern Accessibility Council recommended the University’s provost advise faculty on the benefits of sharing class notes or PowerPoint presentations with students. And for faculty who do not usually share their notes, the council recommended that they share them with students whose accommodations include note-taking or recording assistance. Last summer, AccessibleNU launched a universal design pilot program intended to make courses more accessible. The pilot provided professors with stipends to redesign their courses to be more inclusive, May said. Universal design includes having professors provide captions for videos, putting slides online or sharing notes with the class, May said. Examples like this promote accessibility, she said, helping not only students with disabilities but also those whose first language isn’t English. ASG president Nehaarika Mulukutla said the student government donated about $7,500 to
AccessibleNU earlier this quarter to continue funding the pilot program. Though the Weinberg senior noted it isn’t ASG’s responsibility to fund these sorts of initiatives, she said she was “really grateful” that they were able to use money left over from a budget surplus to assist the office. “At the end of the day, no matter whose responsibility or job (it is), the most important thing is that (AccessibleNU) is getting funded and that these students who need these resources … can still get the best education possible,” Mulukutla said.
of inclusion. Northwestern’s culture of competition has negatively impacted the way students and administrators think about students with disabilities, Carroll said. “For better or for worse, the people who come out of these situations are the ones who are shaping the world, and if they’re not accustomed to a culture of inclusiveness, the same bulls--t continues that’s been continuing forever,” he said.
Advocates on campus
Although some students with disabilities come onto campus already knowing how to handle them, they can run into additional barriers, like engaging with other students or Northwestern’s competitive environment. Tommy Carroll (Medill ’15), who is blind, said his experience navigating Northwestern was largely positive. Carroll, who is from the nearby suburb of Glenview, was the only fully blind student during his four years at NU. He said he and his mobility instructor — who he had known since preschool — did an orientation of campus before his freshman year. Still, he said the best way to acclimate to campus was by simply being here, by building muscle memory and by taking classes in different areas. He said adapting wasn’t too shocking because he has been blind since he was 2 years old. “My experience is pretty good just because my needs are something I had spent my entire life dealing with,” Carroll said. While he was at NU, Carroll said there was not a particularly strong community for students with disabilities. Part of this is because the University’s competitive environment makes it hard for people to be proud of marginalized identities, Carroll said. Carrie Ingerman, a project lead on ASG’s accessibility and inclusion committee, said she is currently working to create an affinity space for students with disabilities. The SESP junior said she plans to launch the space, which will provide a support network and avenue for discussion, next week. “Recognize that people with disabilities are incredibly successful and that there are many students on our campus with disabilities, both visible and invisible,” Ingerman said. “We as a university have a really hard time across identities accepting people who are different, and I think that’s something we as a community need to continue to work towards.” Carroll said while accessibility is always going to be a concern for “any blind student” applying to college, he chose NU because of its strong journalism and music programs. He said while he had some annoyances with professors during his freshman year, his process of receiving accommodations — including having his textbooks translated into electronic form and having extended time on tests — was smooth. He said AccessibleNU was “an advocate” for him, and that he felt supported during his four years here. He worked in the office his senior year while it was looking to hire a full-time assistant technology coordinator. “Any Northwestern accessibility issue (students have) isn’t because of negligence because of AccessibleNU,” Carroll said. “It’s because people haven’t listened to AccessibleNU.” He said disabilities services like AccessibleNU are “chronically underfunded” and that the office could better serve students if it had a larger budget and staff. Dean of students Todd Adams told The Daily in an email that the University is currently considering adding staff to AccessibleNU to help better support students and faculty. Among the recommendations from the January report was the creation of a web information and digital technology accessibility coordinator position. The person filling the new role, if implemented, would provide training on creating accessible websites. The new hire would also be responsible for working with a service to caption audiovisual materials used in classrooms. Carroll added that it is the University’s job to give students not only a good education, but a sense
Unaccommodated
Still, not all students with disabilities have a transition as smooth as Carroll’s. In August 2017, a former Northwestern student filed a lawsuit against the University alleging administrators did not adequately respond to her accommodation requests. According to the lawsuit, the student — who was pursuing a graduate degree in speech, language and learning — fell on campus in January 2015 and suffered a brain injury that exacerbated a preexisting vision disability. She was concussed and diagnosed with significant regular astigmatism and light sensitivity, the suit alleged. She also suffered from nausea and visual fatigue, and had trouble with visual tracking and reading text and charts. The student could not be reached for comment, and her lawyers said they could not comment on the case. In a joint motion to the court in November 2017, the parties said they “seek to settle the case” and believed it would be resolved. The suit was dismissed the following month. The student communicated with the AccessibleNU office and requested accommodations including enlarged course and testing materials, PDFs of these materials in advance and additional time to complete visual tasks, according to the lawsuit. She took a medical leave for the remainder of Winter Quarter 2015, according to the suit. The student submitted an accommodation request to her program director before resuming coursework in the spring. Later in the quarter, she also received a letter from a doctor explaining her needs and recommending accommodations, the suit alleged. According to the suit, the student requested course materials but “often settled” for receiving PDF copies in advance to enlarge at her own expense. The suit also claimed Northwestern frequently failed to provide necessary documents in a “timely and workable format.” The suit alleged that rather than providing accommodations, the University “pressured” the student to discontinue her studies. The University said her involvement in procuring accomodations was not “proactive” and denied that AccessibleNU failed to provide reasonable accomodations. May said she could not comment on the lawsuit due to student confidentiality. The student took additional medical leave and returned for Winter Quarter 2016, when she submitted further requests with a second doctor’s recommendations, according to the suit. With accommodations, she completed the quarter.
Complications continued into the start of Spring Quarter, when she completed her first clinical evaluation without the enlarged manuals and protocols that her lawyers alleged she had previously requested. The suit alleged that she received a portable magnifier after contacting AccessibleNU — but when she realized it was not compatible with her Mac and requested more time for the evaluation, her request was denied. After proceeding with the evaluation regardless, the student was told a week later that it “did not go well.” The suit alleged that “NU absolved itself of responsibility” and “unfairly placed blame” on her. The University said in its response that the magnifier was “inoperative,” but that it would have worked had the student accepted AccessibleNU’s offer of a compatible computer. NU said it did not fail to provide the student with “reasonable accommodations” and denied that it absolved itself and placed blame on her. Afterward, the student’s program supervisors “usually” provided materials in advance, but she was given limited time to enlarge them and prepare for clinical evaluations, according to the lawsuit. The suit further alleged that the student felt stress, pressure and anxiety and was “not performing well” by the middle of Spring Quarter 2016. In its response, NU said it did not “willfully” discriminate against the student and that it did not violate any federal or state statute, regulation or common law. NU’s lawyers also wrote that the student’s alleged injuries and damages were “caused by her own actions,” and that the University’s actions toward the student were made “for legitimate, non-pretextual or academic reasons.” According to the lawsuit, the student left Northwestern before the end of Spring Quarter 2016, with $80,000 in student loan debt and no graduate degree.
Providing accessibility
To better address the needs of students, the AccessibleNU office has developed over the years and most recently added a technology coordinator. In Fall Quarter 2013, AccessibleNU received funds from the University and added an assistive technology assistant director position to its office, who joined staff the following quarter. The added position brought the total number of staffers up to 5.5 — four full-time workers in Evanston and 1.5 in Chicago, May said. A year after that staffer’s departure, Jim Stachowiak joined the office in the upgraded role of director of assistive technology and assistant director in April 2016. In 2017, May said, her office received a technology grant from the University that allowed AccessibleNU to buy smart pens — which record speech as one writes — and other innovations. May said the most common types of accomodations the office gives are time-and-a-half on tests and support for note taking. For technology accomodations, the most common is text-to-speech reading software, Stachowiak said. He added that the secondmost common type of accommodation is note-taking tools, including smart pens. He said AccessibleNU also provides FM devices to students with hearing disabilities, as well as access to captioning. For students who need textbooks with enlarged print, the office usually sends the student a PDF that can be enlarged online, Stachowiak said. “We’re very student-driven, so should we sit down in an intake and a student indicates to us that they would need something … we’d get it and loan it out to them for the duration of their time,” Stachowiak said. To ensure that technology is equally accessible, the January report recommended a campus-wide website accessibility assessment that would evaluate the University’s websites and web-based services, as well as its hardware. The report also recommended that schools keep accessibility in mind when purchasing software. The report suggested the University fund a mobility transport service used by students, faculty and staff with both temporary and permanent disabilities. Peer institutions, such as the University of Chicago and
THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 9
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018 the University of Michigan, already offer comparable systems. Stachowiak added that taking advantage of technology — like cutting down a student’s reading time from five hours to an hour — helps “level the playing field” for students with disabilities. “For people without disabilities, technology makes things easy,” Stachowiak said. “For people with disabilities, technology makes things possible.”
Contrasting campuses
Hassan, the NU-Q Communication senior who studied on the Evanston campus for three quarters last year, received a smart pen, along with other accommodations. Still, Hassan, who is legally blind and has trouble seeing details in the distance and reading texts upclose, said his biggest challenge was adjusting to the Evanston campus’ layout. “The issue was mainly adapting to the actual campus in terms of physicality, at least for the first two weeks (before) you get used to it,” Hassan said. “It was majorly difficult to navigate, especially with all the construction around.” He said another problem for him was a lack of signage, or signs that were hard to read because the text on them was too small. Hassan said he emailed AccessibleNU after having trouble navigating campus. A representative from the office responded to him the same day, saying he would look into available services, Hassan said. Several days later, AccessibleNU said though they could not provide him a tour, Hassan could hire someone from a Chicago company, which charged by the hour, Hassan said. He added that it was “way
out of ” his student budget, so he did not opt for an orientation. Hassan said spending time on the Evanston campus helped him “get the hang of ” its layout and he managed to get used to it without the orientation guide. May said she could not comment on Hassan’s case because of student confidentiality, but said that American students can usually receive an orientation through state programs that may not be available to non-citizens.This option did not apply to Hassan, who is a Lebanese citizen. Overall, though, Hassan said AccessibleNU helped him adjust to Evanston. Hassan said he received extra time on exams, and was allowed to be late or miss class because of medical reasons. He said his professors in Evanston were helpful in sharing handouts with him as PDFs, and that some who don’t normally share presentation slides would email them to him. Generally speaking, he said NU-Q’s campus, which opened in 2008, is easier to navigate because it was conceived with accessibility in mind. The NU-Q campus only has one building, while the Evanston campus has many buildings spread throughout a much larger area. Students with vision disabilities like Hassan face challenges that many other students don’t even think about. At both NU-Q and the Evanston campus, for example, there are monocolored staircases that lack any sort of visual markers. This makes it difficult for visually impaired students to tell where stairs begin and end, as well as where possible landings might be, Hassan said. The January report provided recommendations for bettering the campus experiences of students with disabilities. It recommended the University complete a campus-wide accessibility assessment, which began last spring. Still, Hassan said as a whole, AccessibleNU did a good job making him feel welcome. “Honestly, overall, I never thought of things other than the orientation that I wish I could’ve had,” Hassan said. He added that because the office has worked with people with similar disabilities before, it makes it easier for students to receive help. The office also makes sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of one’s disability, he said. “It’s just making sure that everyone is at the same playing field with everyone else just to be able to make the process as fair as possible,” Hassan said. “If it weren’t for AccessibleNU or AccessibleNU-Q, I don’t know what I would’ve done for the past four years.”
Take NU with you, wherever you go.
NU-Q senior Fouad Hassan, who is legally blind, spent three quarters in Evanston last year and worked as a stage manager for an on-campus production. Scan to watch a video about Hassan’s experience in Northwestern’s theater community. Seeking community
Though AccessibleNU works to ensure students with disabilities receive necessary accommodations, there are no student organizations dedicated solely to “advocating for” students with disabilities, said Ingerman, the ASG project lead. Ingerman tried to change this her freshman year. After talking with Scott Gerson (SESP ’17), the two decided to start Beyond Compliance, an unofficial group for students with disabilities to create a support network and sense of community. The organization held meetings, hosted student panels, put on benefit concerts for AccessibleNU and advised Dance Marathon on how to use more inclusive language. The group, however, had attendance issues, and Ingerman said it was difficult to maintain, given that Gerson graduated in fall 2017. She said many of the initiatives Beyond Compliance started have since been tackled and researched by members of ASG’s accessibility and inclusion committee, and that the committee has much more time and resources to dedicate to these initiatives. Ingerman said she is working on creating a disability workshop to train student groups. The workshop would teach students who work with people with disabilities how to practice sensitivity and use appropriate language, she said. She added that the group has also started to address medical leave of absence policies and temporary disabilities. The committee is also planning on creating a CTEC-like review of NU professors with regard to accessibility. She said while some professors, for example, are willing to share their presentation slides with students, others aren’t. This proposed system, she said, would allow for students to have more control from the start in crafting a schedule that meets their particular needs. “It’s the on-the-ground accommodations that make Northwestern accessible or non-accessible,” Ingerman said. “This would be a really great way for students with disabilities … (to) have more
knowledge about the professors that they’re planning to take classes with on the front end.” Ingerman said many NU students often don’t focus on accessibility concerns. “It’s not a priority for people, but I think it really should be because people who get into Northwestern are clearly able and capable of being a full member of this community,” Ingerman said. “To diminish their value by not supporting them is really dangerous and harmful to them and to our community in general.” She added that though AccessibleNU can often receive the blame for not doing enough, Ingerman said this isn’t necessarily true, noting the University will never be 100 percent accessible. Ingerman said, for example, paths aren’t always cleared of snow first thing in the morning. In conditions like this, she said that AccessibleNU can only do so much to support students, but that the staff does a “really fantastic job.” Still, she added the office — with its limited staff and large number of students it supports — could do better with more University funding, and if professors were required to have training on supporting students with disabilities. Mulukutla, the ASG president, said NU should provide all students with an education, not just those who are able-bodied or neurotypical and may not have to think about accessibility concerns on a daily basis. “This campus exists to serve students and empower them to be the best versions of themselves,” Mulukutla said. “How can it do that if students aren’t able to access the resources, the learning, the education, the experiences?” Carroll said though there remains work to be done, the University has become more accessible over time. “We’re finally confronting some of the stuff that’s bubbled up over hundreds of years,” Carroll said. “The cat’s out of the bag now.” jacobholland2020@u.northwestern.edu
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10 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
Five Dems battle for open state representative seat By KEERTI GOPAL
the daily northwestern @keerti_gopal
With less than two weeks remaining before the Illinois primaries, the five Democratic candidates for 17th district state representative are working to stand out from the competition and win the March 20 primary. The candidates — Candance Chow (Kellogg ’97), Peter Dagher, Alexandra Eidenberg, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz and Mary Rita Luecke — said they will devote the next two weeks to getting out the vote. Largely aligned on most major policy issues, the candidates will focus their efforts on showcasing their individual personal and professional experiences. Chow served as president of the Evanston/Skokie District 65 school board, attended the Kellogg School of Management and worked in non-profit consulting, an experience she said will help her address Illinois’ financial situation. Chow, still a member of the District 65 board, said a main pillar of her campaign is education reform. “I’ve come from a very poor meager background and I was able to succeed because of education,” Chow said. “That’s what I want for every other child; it’s a pretty simple message.” Chow said her position with District 65 has exposed her both to handling finance at the local level and tackling educational inequality. Dagher said his international and federal experience prepares him to tackle the state’s financial challenges. Dagher worked for the campaigns of former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and has held a variety of positions in Washington, including at the Presidential Transition Committee and the Democratic National Committee. “I’ve worked with the state of Illinois while I was at the White House,” Dagher said. “I’ve seen how they
City parks department to host marshmallow drop to begin spring
Evanston children will seek their golden ticket — or golden marshmallow — at the marshmallow drop to celebrate the start of spring.
Sources: Facebook, campaign websites
(Clockwise from top left) Alexandra Eidenberg, Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, Mary Rita Luecke, Peter Dagher, Candance Chow.
misspend money, how they have no accountability and how it basically goes into pockets, not programs.” If elected, Dagher said he would adopt a digital accountability plan and develop a new economic strategy for Illinois. Dagher added that he is committed to lowering property taxes and generating access to affordable education and healthcare. Eidenberg, co-founder of an insurance practice specializing in health care, said her familiarity with legislative work in Springfield — beginning with her advocacy for the Pregnancy Accommodation Act in
2014 — gives her insight into the inner-workings of state government. Eidenberg added that she thinks some of her opponents are too liberal to compete against Republicans in the 17th District. “Everyone else in this race has no experience working across the aisle,” Eidenberg said. “I’m a strong Democrat but … we can’t just keep playing team sports while people are hanging in the balance. We need to move forward, we need to work on working across the aisle, and that’s all stuff I have experience in.” Eidenberg emphasized small business advocacy,
The Parks, Recreation and Community Service department will host a marshmallow drop at James Park. The event will be free to the public. A helicopter will drop “a blizzard of marshmallows” on the park, including three golden, “magic” marshmallows. “How great is this,” city manager Wally Bobkiewicz tweeted. “I need to start training Baby Wally today for the event.” The hunt will take place at 11 a.m. on March 30
for three age groups: ages four and under accompanied by an adult, ages 5 to 8 and ages 9 to 12. Children attending the spring break camp, Vacation Adventure Jr., will attend with counselors to join the festivities. According to a Parks, Recreation and Community Service flyer, children will receive prizes for the most marshmallows collected, and the child in each age group who finds the golden marshmallow will win
Symphonic Band Conducted by Shawn Vondran
healthcare, education and her lasting commitment to gun violence prevention. Human rights attorney Gong-Gershowitz, who has worked on immigration and represented violence and abuse victims, said her legal experience sets her apart. “Having worked in the legal field representing individuals who have not had their voices heard, I bring a unique perspective of understanding the real impact of failed policies and the way government plays a role in our society,” Gong-Gershowitz said in a candidate statement. Gong-Gershowitz said in the statement that her “family’s deep immigrant history” sets her apart from the other candidates, adding that she would focus on gun control, health care access, employment and education. Real estate lawyer Luecke said her 30 years of time spent in the 17th District, including time as president of the District 65 school board, gives her an advantage in adapting to the role of state representative. Luecke said her top priority would be to address the state’s financial problems. “There are a lot of things going for the state of Illinois, and right now the constant banter is how bad things are here,” Luecke said. “I don’t want to downplay that there are problems, but we need to be focusing on our assets and what it is that we have that we can build upon to make Illinois better.” Luecke said she would focus on implementing a graduated income tax and looking for new ways of raising revenue that would not burden lower- and middle-income families. Despite their differences, the candidates agreed on one thing: the necessity of a strong turnout on election day. “We need to see Democrats out at the polls,” Eidenberg said. “I just want people to vote.” keertigopal2021@u.northwestern.edu
an age-appropriate grand prize. At the Human Services committee meeting on March 5, aldermen brought up the event and discussed the cost and maintenance. According to the special event permit application, the department will designate a special drop area, equipped with extra garbage bags. — Catherine Henderson
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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 11
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
City to consider Harley Clarke lease Durbin adjusts student loan protection bill
By SAMANTHA HANDLER
the daily northwestern @sn_handler
Aldermen at Monday’s City Council meeting will consider a lease agreement with Evanston Lakehouse and Gardens for the Harley Clarke mansion, as well as a grant to provide technology job training for moderate and low-income residents. The historic mansion, located in north Evanston along the lakefront, has been vacant since 2015 when the Evanston Art Center moved out of the building. In November, aldermen authorized the city to draft a contract to renovate and lease the mansion — which includes lakefront access, a greenhouse and garden — with Evanston Lakehouse and Gardens. The lease aldermen will review on Monday is for 40 years and requires Evanston Lakehouse and Gardens to raise $2 million over three years to fund improvements to the structure, according to city documents. According to the plan, the mansion will open to the public in May 2023. If the contract is approved, Evanston Lakehouse and Gardens will begin with the first phase of improvements, which include the mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades, according to city documents. The second phase of the renovation will include the restoration of the coach house and parts of the main structure that were not updated during the first phase. Evanston Lakehouse and Gardens was founded
By SAMANTHA HANDLER
the daily northwestern @sn_handler
Daily file photo by Daniel Tian
Harley Clarke mansion, 2603 Sheridan Rd. Aldermen will consider a contract for a 40-year lease of the mansion with Evanston Lakehouse and Gardens.
in 2015 to restore the mansion and has received more than $90,000 in donations for the project, board president Tom Hodgman said in October. Aldermen will also review Monday a grant agreement with a program that proposed free coding classes to residents. Evanston resident Emile Cambry submitted the Evanston Codes program to the Economic Development Committee in February, saying his entrepreneurship centers network, Blue1647, needs $75,000 to create four classes for about a total of 100 students, according to city documents. Blue1647 aims to serve “youth, start-ups, veterans and diverse individuals who seek to learn 21st century skills,” city documents said.
Cambry also plans to license out an online training program and have graduates from the program serve as ambassadors at local schools. He hopes to build relationships with Evanston businesses and other programs that may need Blue1647 graduates to create apps or websites. City staff proposed the program will receive payment deductions for drops in Evanston resident enrollment and will require proof of local enrollment before the payments are approved. The program will also be required to report on its progress each quarter before receiving funding for the next section. samanthahandler2021@u.northwestern.edu
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U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced an amendment Thursday that would improve consumer protections for federal and private student loans and help ease student loan debt for families, according to a news release. The amendment to the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act — introduced in November and aimed at promoting economic growth as well as enhancing consumer protections — includes a Student Loan Borrower Bill of Rights and some bankruptcy protections. Outstanding student loan debt overall stood at $1.4 trillion in 2017, according to news release from Durbin. The bill went to the Senate floor on Thursday, indicating that it will be considered for enactment during the next few days. “For many Americans today, there’s no bigger drag on their families than student loan debt,” Durbin said in a speech on the Senate floor on Thursday. “Unlike most of us, who can borrow a reasonable amount to finance our college education, this generation of college graduates starts off with an average debt of $27,000 on day one after graduation. Many have much, much more, especially if they were duped by this notorious for-profit college industry in America.” Durbin’s amendment — also sponsored by Sens. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) — would establish disclosure requirements and protections for borrowers when a student loan is sold, transferred or reassigned, according to the document. The amendment also requires services to respond in a timely manner to inquiries and provide online access to information related to the borrowers’ loans. Additionally, it ensures that private education loans are dismissed when a borrower dies or becomes disabled. It also clarifies the bill’s “undue hardship” exception to non-dischargeability in bankruptcy. The bill clarifies debtors receiving Social Security disability benefits, acting as caregivers for veterans, elderly or chronically ill family members, or making less than 200 percent of the poverty guidelines are eligible to have loans dismissed. In 2005, Congress passed a law that gave student loans protected status in bankruptcy, meaning that students would not be able to be dismissed from the loan or become less burdened if they were struggling make payments. The new amendment restores dischargeability in bankruptcy. “Banks fought hard more than a decade ago to exempt student loan debt from bankruptcy protections, and now we’ve seen the consequences too: too many students are crushed by debt with no chance for a new start,” Warren said in a news release in May. “Senator Durbin’s bill will restore this basic safeguard.” Durbin said in his speech that he has heard stories from constituents who had to forgo buying a home to pay the debt, or have chosen to just stay in school rather than deal with a mountain of loan payments. He added that student loan reform will not only help the students who have accumulated the debt, but also alleviate the hardship placed on families as well. He said too often student loan debt also burdens parents and grandparents. “If we can take up the issue to make it easier for banks in America, we can spare a few minutes to debate whether or not we can make it easier for student borrowers to survive when the student debts that they face are stopping them from moving forward in their lives,” Durbin said on the Senate floor Thursday. “Massive debt that stops them from getting married, buying a home, a car, starting a family, that’s the reality for many families across America.” samanthahandler2021@u.northwestern.edu
Daily file photo by Paige Leskin
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) speaks. Durbin introduced an amendment that would provide consumer protections for student loans.
12 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
Local festival screens film about climate change By ALANE LIM
the daily northwestern @thisisalane
Members of the public and the Northwestern community watched “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” and discussed climate crisis at the McCormick Foundation Center on Thursday. About 80 people attended the screening of the film, which is the 2017 follow-up to former Vice President Al Gore’s 2006 movie on climate change, “An Inconvenient Truth.” As part of the Chicagobased One Earth Film Festival, which aims to educate the public on environmental issues, the event included a discussion about climate change led by environmental experts. The event was co-hosted by sustainNU and the Institute for Sustainability and Energy at Northwestern. Various student organizations, including the Associated Student Government Sustainability Committee and Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, also supported the event. Sustainability communications manager Stephanie Folk said at the event that sustainNU was working “on many fronts,” including reducing waste and increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, to lessen the University’s carbon footprint. Part of sustainNU’s mission is to educate people about environmental issues, Folk told The Daily, which was a reason they were interested in screening the film.
Brian Meng/The Daily Northwestern
Isabella Masini speaks at a screening of former Vice President Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.” Masini is a site coordinator of the One Earth Film Festival — a Chicago-area festival aiming to educate the public on environmental issues.
“We have a lot of goals at Northwestern related to reducing our carbon footprint,” Folk said. “This film seemed like something that would address
that issue and would be of interest to a lot of people on campus.” One Earth Film Festival site coordinator
Isabella Masini told The Daily that the festival organizers chose to screen the film at NU partially because they enjoyed working with educational institutions, where students are “always engaged and (want) to learn … about current issues.” They had worked with NU before and had a “great turnout,” she added. The discussion included local experts to explain the effects of climate change on a more personal level, Masini added, as the film’s scale is much broader and more global. “(The film) is very much talking about climate change. It’s also talking about policy a lot,” Masini said. “(The experts) are taking something that’s worldly and bringing it back down to what other individuals can see in front of their faces.” Lucia Whalen, who is part of the Climate Reality Project, an organization founded by Al Gore to promote environmental involvement, said at the event that individuals should not feel overwhelmed by larger political issues. People can engage their local communities and work to combat climate change in their own ways, she added. “You don’t have to be a politician,” Whalen said. “You might be an artist. You might be a writer. … Everybody has their unique gifts that we need brought to the table, and when we only look to politics, or when we only look at this issue from one perspective, then we don’t make a big difference.” alane.lim@u.northwestern.edu
ASG set to present referendum on cigarette smoking By ALLIE GOULDING
daily senior staffer @alliejennaaa
Associated Student Government announced in an email Thursday that there will be a campus referendum on smoking tobacco cigarettes next week. The referendum will ask students if they would prefer more regulations and limitations on smoking in public areas, according to the email. Weinberg freshman Bassel Shanab introduced the legislation for the referendum during a Senate meeting Feb. 21, though it was withdrawn the same day to add more specific details to the document. Shanab, an ASG senator, gathered approximately 200 signatures in support of the referendum, he said. “Multiple cigarette smokers have given their signatures just because they say, ‘I want to know how other students feel about this,’” Shanab said. “The decision they’re making is a decision every other student surrounding them within a certain radius
(makes too). We’re all breathing in the toxins that go along with cigarette smoke.” Shanab said the referendum just aims to gauge opinions on the topic. However, he said he wants to make sure that students are “aware cigarette smoking has been deemed toxic to human health.” Shanab said part of the reason he introduced the referendum was because Illinois passed the “SmokeFree Campus Act” in 2014, banning smoking on all public college campuses. He added that Northwestern should follow its “sister campuses” in the legislation. University President Morton Schapiro, however, told The Daily on Thursday that it’s a more complicated issue than it may seem. “When it came up about five years ago … I was like, ‘Sure, yeah, we should ban it. I can’t stand the smoke,’” Schapiro said. “But then I started thinking more about it, and I’m just not sure that we have a moral right to tell people that.” The Evanston Clean Air Act, the current policy which applies to NU’s campus, prohibits smoking in
public buildings, restaurants, parks, on public transit and other communal spaces. Smokers also cannot light up within 25 feet of the entrance of an enclosed area or a ventilation unit. ASG has tried to pass legislation in the past to make NU a tobacco-free campus in 2013, but it was rejected. They also attempted to pass similar legislation in 2015 after Illinois banned smoking on state universities’ campuses, but it was rejected as well. However, Shanab stressed that the referendum is only to see how students feel about smoking on campus and is not legislation to take any further action on a tobacco ban. “All I wanted to do was reevaluate the current smoking policy because that’s been in place (for years) and it seems like it’s a sacred cow for Northwestern,” Shanab said. “I feel like at least we should ask students how they feel about it. … Senators don’t necessarily represent the student body at every single waking moment.” alliegoulding2020@u.northwestern.edu
Daily file photo by Allie Goulding
Senators Bassel Shanab and Emerson Carlson speak at an ASG meeting. Shanab introduced the campuswide smoking referendum.
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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 13
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
KIPNIS
From page 1 Doe filed the suit on four counts, according to the order: public disclosure of private facts, false light invasion of privacy, defamation and intentional infliction of emotional distress. In their motion, Kipnis and HarperCollins stated that all the information included in the book had already been revealed during the lawsuits against Ludlow. However, Blakey wrote that the Court could not find all those facts had already been publicly available before the publication of “Unwanted Advances.” The defendants had also alleged that Doe could not prove Kipnis acted with “actual malice.” At this point in the proceedings, though, Blakey wrote that the court must accept the plaintiff ’s allegations — like that Kipnis deliberately excluded information that would oppose her argument, and that HarperCollins did not check Kipnis’ sources despite the potential that Kipnis had an “axe to grind” with Doe — and
GOVERNOR From page 1
with Kennedy in a distant third.
The State Senator
Biss, who lives in Evanston, has positioned himself as the “middle class candidate” who is trying to take the money out of politics. Biss has repeatedly claimed that he is the most progressive of the candidates vying for office. Biss said in an interview with the State JournalRegister that his top priority if elected would be to modify the flat tax system in Illinois to a progressive one, meaning wealthier taxpayers would pay taxes at a higher rate than those with lower incomes. Political reform is another key component of Biss’ platform, as he said he will use the position to put in place new processes for election protocol. According to the state senator’s website, Biss’ plan includes term limits on leadership in the state Senate and House of Representatives, publicly financed small donor matching for campaign contributions and expanded access to ballots. The biggest issues for Biss have come from his backing of a 2013 pension reform plan that was later ruled unconstitutional. The plan reduced benefits, but did not take away pensions from anyone, according to the State Journal-Register.
The Businessman
Kennedy has political blood in his veins, as his
therefore, Doe’s false light invasion of privacy claim survives. The defendants’ conduct as described by the plaintiff, Blakey wrote, “could be seen by a reasonable jury as extreme and outrageous,” as Kipnis published a misleading account of Doe’s experiences to characterize Doe as “a liar,” and did so in order to penalize Doe. Attorneys representing Kipnis and HarperCollins did not respond to a request for comment. The case can now move into the discovery period, said Jennifer Salvatore, one of the attorneys representing Doe in the case. Salvatore said she is “looking forward” to proceeding with the case and giving Doe “her day in court.” “We’ve got a client who has been incredibly harmed by really reckless conduct,” Salvatore told The Daily. “Although the harm to (Doe’s) reputation can never really be undone, we are hopeful that legal action will set the record straight.” madelineburakoff2020@u.northwestern.edu father Robert Kennedy was a former U.S. senator and Attorney General and his uncle, John F. Kennedy, was a former U.S. president. The businessman, who has pushed hard for property tax reform, is centering his campaign on expanding the economy and creating more jobs in Illinois, as well as promoting expanded health care access while reducing costs for state residents. Kennedy and his running mate, Ra Joy, are also running on a platform that focuses on taking steps to reduce gun violence, as both men have had uniquely personal experience with the topic. Kennedy’s father was killed when he was shot on the presidential campaign trail in 1968, and Joy’s son was shot and killed last summer after he was robbed of his cellphone. The former president of Merchandise Mart Properties made missteps on the campaign trail after he said Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was at the top of a “strategic gentrification plan” designed to force African-Americans out of the city. Kennedy also praised Rauner in January for “trying to do what he thinks is best for the state,” a statement other candidates have jumped on when attacking Kennedy. Kennedy later back tracked on his praise for Rauner, saying he was one of the worst governors in Illinois history, “including those who went to jail.” The three will face longshot candidates Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman and Robert Marshall on March 20 in the Democratic Primary. ryanw@u.northwestern.edu
14 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
State rep candidate criticized for campaign email By RYAN WANGMAN
daily senior staffer @ryanwangman
An Evanston/Skokie School District 65 school board member who is doubling as a candidate for 17th District state representative is under fire for an email her campaign manager sent to a work account attempting to recruit volunteers. Candance Chow, who is running in a crowded Democratic primary for the open seat, is facing scrutiny from opponent Mary Rita Luecke after she discovered that Chow campaign manager Gabe Frankel sent an email petitioning for help recruiting volunteers to the work account of the executive assistant for District 65 superintendent Paul Goren. Luecke alleged in a Feb. 27 news
release that the move violated district policy. In a copy of the email obtained by The Daily, Frankel wrote the campaign had many opportunities for people to get involved, and said the greatest need was for people to knock on doors and make phone calls for Chow. Frankel also included links in the email to sign up for upcoming volunteer shifts and to become a member of the Democratic Party of Evanston to support Chow, as the email was sent in January before the group made their endorsements. The executive assistant forwarded the email to at least three other people with District 65 email addresses, according to copies of the email chain obtained by The Daily. Luecke said her biggest concern is that Chow suggested her campaign manager look for help finding volunteers from a person so closely related
to her work as a school board official. “To me this is problematic, because even if that person doesn’t have a a lot of authority, people who receive an email from her knowing that she is the executive assistant to the superintendent might feel pressured into doing something that they wouldn’t otherwise do,” Luecke said. Luecke said that whatever Goren’s assistant would choose to do in her personal time is no problem, but that Chow’s campaign should not have reached out to the executive assistant in “her District 65 capacity.” In response to the criticism, Chow said her campaign manager sending an email to the executive assistant’s work email was “an honest mistake.” She said the executive assistant had already volunteered to help the campaign, and that they communicated with her using the wrong email address.
“This is a grassroots campaign,” Chow said. “I have over 8,000 contacts that we’re reaching out to … so it’s challenging to not have a mistake like this happen, but it was a mistake and we have to make sure that we do our very best for it not to happen again.” Chow said the timing of Luecke’s release, which was sent out over a month after the initial email and a few weeks before the primary, was “a little bit curious.” The candidate said there was no intentional solicitation of District 65 volunteers who had not already volunteered in their off hours. Luecke is calling for an investigation into the issue, but did not specify from what organization. Keerti Gopal contributed reporting. ryanw@u.northwestern.edu
City history center honors International Women’s Day By CLARE PROCTOR
the daily northwestern @ceproctor23
India, Kenya and Japan are just a few countries celebrating International Women’s Day on a national level, said Lori Osborne, director of the Evanston Women’s History Project. But in the United States, there is only a “very small celebration,” she said. “Just saying, we’ve got some work to do,” Osborne said. Osborne spoke to about 20 women at a celebration of International Women’s Day, which takes place March 8, on Thursday morning. The event took place at the Evanston History Center and was organized by the Evanston Women’s History Project and Frances Willard House Museum. Instead of focusing on issues faced by women, the event aimed to recognize the accomplishments made throughout the women’s movement, Osborne told The Daily. The event celebrated local history, highlighting Evanston women who have contributed to the cause.
“Yes, we want to be serious, and things are continuing to be challenges for women and girls globally,” she said. “But we’ve made a lot of progress, and there’s lots to be positive about too.” The event was centered on celebrating local history, highlighting Evanston women who made contributions to the women’s movement. Osborne primarily discussed May Wood Simons, an Evanston woman who helped found the first National Women’s Day in 1909 and expand the celebration internationally two years later. Simons later earned a PhD in economics from Northwestern in 1930 and taught part-time at the university. “I loved hearing about how women in Evanston have been part of the change for a really long time,” said Evanston resident Julie Halpern, who attended the Thursday event. “And I’m proud to be a part of it.” Halpern has always been invested in women’s rights, she said. Originally from the Evanston area, Halpern spent the majority of her life in New York, where she opened and managed an “off-off-Broadway” theatre from 1999 to 2013, she said. The theater, Love Street, provided stage
opportunities for female actors over the age of 40. After being denied the parts she wanted as an actress in her 40s, Halpern said she was inspired to operate a theater herself, without a male partner. “It was unusual for a woman to run any type of organization like that by herself,” she said. “A little less unusual now, but very unusual then.” This year’s event was the first of its kind celebrating historical successes in Evanston, Osborne said. The International Women’s Day celebration continued with a movie screening and discussion Thursday evening at the Unitarian Church of Evanston. Executive director of Evanston History Center Eden Juron Pearlman said she will advocate for the event to occur again next year. Though she is “delighted” by the women who came to the morning event, Juron Pearlman said she is eager for a larger crowd to attend in the future. “I love the idea of bringing people together in a really positive way, just to feel good about who we are,” Juron Pearlman said. “It feels great to start my day with powerful women learning about women who worked hard for women.” clareproctor2021@u.northwestern.edu
Clare Proctor/The Daily Northwestern
Lori Osborne speaks at a morning event at the Evanston History Center on International Women’s Day. The event centered around celebrating the history of Evanston women who made strides in the women’s movement.
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FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018
WOMEN’S TENNIS
NU preps for faceoffs with No. 5 Georgia Tech, Purdue By BRETT HAENSEL
the daily northwestern @bretthaensel
After surging up the polls for the second-straight week, Northwestern will look to carry its momentum into yet another clash against a top-10 opponent. Riding a five-match winning streak that has featured wins over three ranked opponents, the No. 8 Wildcats (8-3, 2-0 Big Ten) will host both No. 5 Georgia Tech (9-1) and Purdue (6-5) over the weekend. “Everyone’s feeling really good,” senior Maddie Lipp said. “We’re focused on Georgia Tech. We’ve had success because we take one match at a time, so we’ll go into the weekend and say, ‘I want to go 1-0,’ and then we’ll reset.” The Yellow Jackets mark the third opponent in the last four matches that NU has faced that has been ranked within the top 10. After taking down
Men’s tennis coach Arvid Swan to take personal leave of absence
Northwestern head coach Arvid Swan is taking a personal leave of absence from the team to address a personal health issue, the athletic
FRIENDS From page 16
From there, Rohde and Kunaiyi-Akpanah grew closer, bonding over commonalities like their intense love for scary movies and sharing memes on Facebook, Rohde said. One of the biggest bonding points for Kunaiyi-Akpanah and Rohde is their love for books, Kunaiyi-Akpanah said. “We really like dystopian novels,” KunaiyiAkpanah said. “That sounds really geeky, but we talk about that all the time. We come up with ideas for different books, and we bounce them off of each other all the time. Lydia’s a English major,
No. 5 Georgia Tech vs. No. 8 Northwestern
Purdue vs. No. 8 Northwestern
Evanston, Illinois 2:30 p.m. Friday
Evanston, Illinois 2 p.m. Friday
After falling to both No. 23 Ole Miss and No. 15 Kansas, the Boilermakers will be hoping to catch NU off guard. Indeed, the task will be a tough one for Purdue given the Cats’ star-studded cast. Larner recently received honors as Big Ten Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week after picking up two wins at both No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles as part of NU’s undefeated start to Big Ten play. “It’s a cool award, great thing,” Larner said. “The team being top 10 is just so much cooler. Hopefully we can keep it rolling this week.” After a rocky 3-3 start that saw the Cats drop three in a row at one point, NU was able to right the ship and find its groove. “We learned how to win,” Pollard said. “We were playing well but didn’t quite know how to close out things. You learn from losing, and at least if you learn from losing it can be a real positive thing.”
No. 7 Vanderbilt and No. 5 Illinois in back-to-back matches, the Cats will yet again be tested with the nation’s best. Georgia Tech’s lone loss came in early February to now-No. 2 Pepperdine, and since it has knocked off four opponents currently ranked in the top 25. “It’s another great challenge for us,” coach Claire Pollard said. “They’re an excellent team. They knocked us out at the NCAAs last year, so we’re excited to have them here. We’re going to have to play great.” The top-10 battle will feature a contest between two of the nation’s top doubles pairs. The No. 1 pair of NU seniors Erin Larner and Lipp will likely take on the Yellow Jackets’ fourth-ranked pair of Paige Hourigan and Kenya Jones.
With two additional doubles pairs ranked in the top 60 and five singles players ranked within the top 120, Friday afternoon’s match will feature some of the top talent in the country. “Maddie and I have been doing pretty well, so hopefully we can keep that rolling,” Larner said. “Doubles can be quick, so we need a good, strong start. Serving well is key in doubles, and across the board we need good energy.” The Cats will return to Big Ten play just a day later when the Boilermakers come to Evanston for their first conference match of the year. In addition to starting its Big Ten season on the right foot, Purdue will look to secure its first win over a top-25 opponent this year.
department announced in a news release Thursday. Associate coach Chris Klingemann will take over interim head coaching duties until Swan’s return. “Our entire department supports Arvid and his family during this challenging time,” athletic director Jim Phillips said in the release. “We look forward to seeing him back on the court with our student-athletes.”
Swan, who was named ITA Midwest Region coach of the year in 2016, was in the middle of his 11th season at the helm of the program. Under his command, the team has qualified for six consecutive NCAA Tournaments and has accumulated a 173-113 record. However, the 2017-18 season has not gone as well, as the team is 4-8 after its top three players graduated last season.
Klingemann, the regional assistant coach of the year in 2016, has been on the NU coaching staff for seven seasons and has been in his current position of associate head coach for the last four. His first match in charge of the Wildcats will come against No. 6 Illinois on Friday.
so she’s usually the one that has most of the ideas.” Though the freshmen trio met one another far more recently, an important bonding catalyst for Satterwhite, Hamilton and Pulliam’s relationship is their similar personalities and love for the sport, Pulliam said. They push each other to do better every day. “We all sort of think alike,” Pulliam said. “Our personalities are very similar but different at the same time. We really just joke around together a lot. We like messing with each other. On the court, we push each other and we have the same mindset and goal in mind.” A love for basketball links the whole team together. According to Satterwhite, when
everything basketball related is over, whether it be a day’s practice or the 2017-2018 season, the friendship will always still be there. The memories made are always there. “I haven’t been able to play a game with them, but just in practice, the competing’s there because we want to make each other better,” Satterwhite, who is recovering from multiple injuries, said. “At the end of the day, we’re all going to be best friends after practice is over and the game is over. If I’m trash talking, they won’t take it to heart. They know it’s part of the game. That’s what really helps.” Rohde said to her family that Kunaiyi-Akpanah is family, and Rohde views her as another “sister.”
Many memories have been made between Rohde and Kunaiyi-Akpanah, but KunaiyiAkpanah pinpointed a particularly humorous one. “This is going to sound really stupid, but every time I go to visit her and her family, we make a trip to the zoo in Wisconsin, Milwaukee County Zoo,” Kunaiyi-Akpanah said. “They’ve been telling me since day one that they have the cutest goats. She takes me there the first time, and the goats aren’t there. It’s a couple months later, I come to her house and we go again. She said ‘Oh yeah they’re going to be there this time,’ and they’re not there again. I don’t know if she’s trying to trick me.”
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The Northwestern Camerata (formerly Women’s Chorus) explores treble-voice works by an eclectic group of composers in a variety of genres.
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ON THE RECORD
Our personalities are very similar but different at the same time. We really just joke around together a lot. We like — Lindsey Pulliam, guard messing with each other.
Women’s Tennis Purdue at No. 8 NU, 2 p.m. Sunday
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Friday, March 9, 2018
BEST FRIENDS
Groups of women’s basketball teammates become close both on and off the court By CASSIDY JACKSON
the daily northwestern @cassidykjackson
Daily file photo by Keshia Johnson
Lydia Rohde smiles on the bench while out with an injury. The senior guard’s good friend, junior forward Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah, said Rohde’s bright smile was the first thing she noticed about her.
When it comes to Northwestern’s friendships on and off the court, there’s the old school and there’s the new school. Junior forward Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah and senior guard Lydia Rohde, two wellseasoned collegiate players, stand out as two best friends on the team.The freshmen trio of guards Lauryn Satterwhite, Jordan Hamilton and Lindsey Pulliam make up the other squad. According to Satterwhite, her, Pulliam and Hamilton were destined to be best friends. Yet Hamilton said based off her first impressions of Pulliam and Satterwhite, she wasn’t so sure. “When I met Lindsey, I was like, ‘She can obviously hoop or whatever, but I thought her personality … (was) gonna be kind of quiet,’” Hamilton said. “I thought Lauryn, she’s really heavy with her religion and I am too, but I thought she was gonna be just a lame. Now that I know her, we’re just really similar and get on each others’
nerves but we’re really cool in the end.” Kunaiyi-Akpanah and Rohde first met back in 2015 when Kunaiyi-Akpanah was a freshman, and though their first meeting was now long ago, Rohde’s first impression of Kunaiyi-Akpanah is still fresh in her mind. “I’m pretty sure one of the first times I met you was at a workout, because you weren’t there over the summer,” Rohde said to Kunaiyi-Akpanah. “You came just for school, and I was like, ‘This is the most athletic person I’ve ever met in my entire life.’ No one can run as fast as you (or) jump as high as you. You were already lifting five times as much as I could, and I had already been there a year! I was just thinking ‘How is this fair?’” While Rohde was gawking over Kunaiyi-Akpanah’s athletic ability when they first met, Kunaiyi-Akpanah was admiring something else about Rohde: her smile. According to Kunaiyi-Akpanah, Rohde has the whitest teeth she’s ever seen, and she remembers thinking to herself, “I like her already.” » See FRIENDS, page 15
LACROSSE
Cats look to rebound from near-upset in previous game By ELLA BROCKWAY
the daily northwestern @ellabrockway
With around 10 minutes left in a matchup against No. 1 Stony Brook last Saturday, it looked like Northwestern might pull off the upset. The Wildcats had a chance to cut the top team in the country’s lead to one, and had scored three straight goals while winning four consecutive draws. And then came a stick violation and a called-off goal. Stony Brook stole the momentum and launched a 5-2 run to end the game, and NU fell in a 15-10 loss. A week later, the No. 12 Cats (4-2) prepare to play their third of six straight home games. When Marquette (4-3) comes to Evanston on Saturday, the focus for NU will be on how to fix small errors and convert on key chances. “That game stung a little, but what we kind of proved to ourselves is that we can hang with any team in this country,” said senior midfielder Sheila Nesselbush, who finished with a career-high five points Saturday. “If we can clean up our little mistakes and take away some of the mental errors, we can beat pretty much anyone we face.” Despite Marquette’s lack of a national ranking, Saturday’s matchup does pose
Welsh-Ryan Arena likely to reopen in early November
Welsh-Ryan Arena is slated to reopen for exhibition basketball games the first weekend of November, University President Morton Schapiro told
Marquette vs. No. 12 Northwestern Evanston, Illinois 12 p.m. Friday
some challenges for the Cats. The Golden Eagles average 17.29 draw controls per game, the fourth-best in the country, compared to NU’s 13.67 per game. Senior attacker Shelby Fredericks has been the key for NU in the circle. The Cats’ draw specialist sat out the first four games of the year with an injury, but she has been strong in her return, winning 19 draw controls in the past two games. In the loss to Stony Brook, the Cats managed to win 18 of the game’s 27 draws, and all but one of their goals came on possessions in which they won the draw. Yet NU failed to win the final three draws of the game, and the Seawolves scored on two of those three final possessions. Fredericks said taking advantage off the draw will be a priority moving forward. “It’s really just trusting each other,” Fredericks said. “I know that we’re going to be successful in the draw. I know that our preparation is going to be done with the highest level of focus that it can be.” Fredericks said the Cats also needed to find their way to the free-position line. NU scored on just two of its 11 freeposition shots against Stony Brook, and
leading scorer Selena Lasota, who was held scoreless that day, went 0-for-3 on free-position shots. NU ranks last among Big Ten teams and 93rd among all 115 NCAA teams in free-position percentage, converting just 34.1 percent of its freeposition shots. Nesselbush scored one of her three goals from a free position and mentioned the importance of focusing when given those chances.
“Part of it is confidence,” Nesselbush said. “We’re a really fast team, and I think the more we can step up to the line and know that we’re faster than the person next to us, we’re going to be successful. That’s a mental shift that’s just going to take some practice. ” A tough road lies ahead for the Cats after Marquette. Two of the three opponents remaining in the six-game home stretch — No. 6 North Carolina on
March 17 and No. 8 Syracuse on March 23 — are currently ranked in the top 10. The Cats suffered losses to both the Tar Heels and the Orange in the previous two seasons. “It’s (about) trusting each other, it’s (about) being aggressive,” Fredericks said. “When we have those in the forefront of our minds, we’re pretty unstoppable.”
The Daily on Thursday. The arena, which has been undergoing construction since March 2017, is likely to first host men’s and women’s games Nov. 2, Schapiro said. The opening is planned to coincide with the Nov. 3 football game against Notre Dame, which is likely to draw a large NU crowd. “That’s going to be a heck of a
weekend. And that place is going to be packed,” Schapiro said. “The students are going to go crazy when they see how unbelievable, wonderful that new arena’s going to be. … I can’t wait.” The November christening means the volleyball team will be forced to play the majority of its home games off-campus again, though a department source told The Daily on Thursday
that the November opening was always expected. Wildcats’ teams played the 201718 seasons at a variety of venues. The men’s basketball team played at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, a cavernous venue far from campus where a disappointing NU team rarely drew large crowds. The women’s basketball and volleyball teams played the majority of their
home games at Evanston Township High School, while wrestling competed at Patten Gym. The new Welsh-Ryan, a $110 million near-complete reconstruction of the building, will include new seating, wider concourses and updated restrooms and concession areas.
Daily file photo by Brian Meng
Selena Lasota looks for an opening. The junior attacker was held scoreless in NU’s previous game.
ellabrockway2021@u.northwestern.edu
— Cole Paxton