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The Daily Northwestern Friday, October 9, 2015
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Students talk health, classes By SHANE MCKEON
daily senior staffer @Shane_McKeon
Daily file photo by Jerry Lee
DEBATE CONTINUES Plans to move Campus Inclusion and Community offices to the Black House and the Multicultural Center remain postponed following the negative response these changes received this summer.
Black House forums planned By MARIANA ALFARO
daily senior staffer @marianaa_alfaro
All plans to move Campus Inclusion and Community offices to the Black House and the Multicultural Center are still postponed following the negative response the proposed changes received during the summer. No changes have been made since administrators suggested the relocation during the summer, said Multicultural Student Affairs director Charles Kellom. In August, administrators announced the University would move some administrative offices into the Black House and the Multicultural Center through a message to the MSA email list, prompting negative feedback from Northwestern students and alumni. The changes would have affected meeting spaces for multiple student groups, including
For Members Only, Alianza, Asian Pacific American Coalition and Muslim-cultural Students Association. Two days after the email was sent, administrators postponed all plans to move CIC offices. The Black House and the Multicultural Center have functioned normally during the first weeks of Fall Quarter. However, the issue regarding the future of these spaces remains. Different campus offices, including CIC and MSA, announced dates Monday through their social media accounts for a series of listening sessions, where students, alumni and faculty will be able to discuss and ask questions about the proposed changes. The first two of four these sessions will be held Oct. 14 at Parkes Hall, with the following two to be held Nov. 16 and Nov. 20 in Norris University Center and Scott Hall, respectively. They will all be moderated by Jamie Washington, president and founder of The Washington
Sen. Durbin calls for cheaper textbooks By ROBIN OPSAHL
the daily northwestern @robinlopsahl
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) introduced a bill to Congress on Thursday that would allow students free access to the most commonly used textbooks in an attempt to combat rising college costs. The legislation would create a grant program for colleges and professors to create and use “open” college textbooks, which would be available under an open license to allow free access to the materials. “Textbook costs are one of the most overlooked obstacles to college affordability,” Durbin said Thursday during a conference call with media. “(This act) will save students hundreds of dollars and put pressure on traditional college textbook markets to open up and be affordable.” The average student budget for college books and supplies during the
2014-2015 academic year was about $1,225 according to the College Board. This cost is nearly 14 percent of the total cost for students going to a four-year university, said U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minnesota), during the call. For low-income and non-traditional students, this makes college even less accessible than it already is, Franken said. “If you’re going to community college, textbook costs could be over 40 percent of your overall cost for going to college,” he said, “If you’re already struggling to afford college, it’s a serious barrier.” Franken introduced the bill along with Durbin and U.S. Sen. Angus King (I-Maine). Franken said the cost is substantial for everyone attending college, no matter their socioeconomic level, and private colleges would also be able to apply for the federal grants outlined by the bill. The legislation has the potential to » See TEXTBOOKS, page 10
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Consulting Group. Washington annually works with NU freshmen and transfer students during Wildcat Welcome during the diversity and inclusion Essential NU. Kellom said he hopes these sessions will give those with concerns a better opportunity to voice their opinions. “For the first session, at least, we will give some overall context,” he said. “The purpose is for us and for the Black House Facilities Review Committee that has been created to listen to people’s concerns and feedback and ideas.” The recently created Black House Facilities Review Committee, which comprises students, alumni and faculty, will be present at all four listening sessions, Kellom said. Kellom emphasized the power of students’ voices in preventing the relocation of CIC offices — he said » See BLACK HOUSE, page 10
NU remains silent on Bill Cosby’s honors from 1997
As colleges and universities around the country decide whether to revoke Bill Cosby’s honorary degrees due to numerous sexual assault allegations against him, Northwestern’s decision on the issue remains unclear. Cosby, who as of September 2015 has been accused of sexual assault by more than 50 women, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from NU in 1997, according to an article from that year in The Daily. Cosby also delivered the commencement speech at NU that year. Many institutions recognized Cosby for his success in the entertainment business, awarding him honorary degrees in categories including education, law and public service. Since the allegations against Cosby came to light, colleges and universities have taken different approaches to his case — some schools took no action, some have revoked his honorary degrees and others are debating what to do.
Students focused on the effect of Northwestern academics on mental health during a forum on the undergraduate academic experience Thursday, offering criticisms to faculty tasked with proposing reforms for the current system. More than 25 students attended the event, designed for task force members to hear undergraduates’ views on their academic experience. “We really want to hear as much as we can,” said neurobiology Prof. Indira Raman, who chairs the task force. “All these things will influence our next set of conversations.” Students spoke for most of the forum as task force members sat on stage taking notes. Much of the meeting focused on students’ academic workload, its effects on their mental wellness and
critiques of Counseling and Psychological Services. Reducing students’ academic workload was a common suggestion throughout the forum. “When we compare ourselves to our peer institutions on the quarter system, our workload sticks out as one of the hardest,” Weinberg junior Isaac Rappoport said. “We need to make it so that three classes is the norm at Northwestern.” Associated Student Government released a report in March calling on Weinberg to lower the number of credits needed to graduate from 45 to 42. Weinberg junior Joji Syed said NU prides itself on grooming wellrounded students, but the stress of doing it all can sometimes be too much. “I don’t think (professors) respect the fact that we have a lot of other things going on, whether it’s our » See ACADEMICS, page 10
Daniel Tian/Daily Senior Staffer
STUDENTS SHARE Neurobiology Prof. Indira Raman listens to a student’s comment during a forum on undergrads’ academic experience Thursday.
University spokesman Al Cubbage declined to comment. Yale University took no action regarding Cosby’s honors despite an online petition signed by about 200 members of the Yale community asking the university’s president to rescind the honors Cosby received in 2003. Yale has never revoked an honorary degree, according to the Yale Daily News. In the last two weeks alone, Fordham University, Marquette University and Brown University revoked the honors Cosby received at the respective institutions, according to The New York Times. Some schools, including Ohio State University, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, are still deciding what to do. A proposal to rescind Cosby’s honorary degree at John Jay is currently under consideration, according to The New York Times. Communication junior Amanda Odasz, communications chair of Sexual Health and Assault Peer Educators, said the organization did not have an opportunity to discuss Bill Cosby in its meetings. However, Odasz said she personally believes NU should not be supportive of
Cosby, particularly because the University has taken steps to push messages about trying to prevent rape on campus. “It doesn’t make sense that Northwestern should support Bill Cosby in any way, including him having an honorary degree from the University,” Odasz said. — Peter Kotecki
Source: Nicolas Khayat/Abaca Press/TNS
Bill Cosby
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