Parade of flags pg. 8
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Dunn shares vision as interim chancellor in Campus Conversation
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2019
VOL. 102, ISSUE 76
Pride for Panama
Kallie Cox | @KallieC45439038
John M. Dunn took questions from students, staff and community stakeholders and shared his hopes for his tenure as interim chancellor Wednesday afternoon in a packed Student Center ballroom. Dunn was approved as interim chancellor at the last SIU Board of Trustees meeting in December. He began his tenure on January 1. Dunn is a native of Pinckneyville, Illinois and previously served as SIU’s interim chancellor from 2006-2007 before leaving to become president of Western Michigan University. Many of SIU’s administrative positions are held by those in interim roles rather than permanent ones; Dunn said his title of interim will not affect how he fulfills his role as chancellor. “Even though I carry the title interim, it is not my intent to act as an interim,” Dunn said. “There are things that need to be done, decisions that need to be made, things that you need and we want to make sure that we do that.” Toussaint Mitchell, undergraduate student government president, kicked off the question and answer panel by asking Dunn what his plan was to improve enrollment and retention. “We have very good students here and we need to make that commitment that we do everything we can to affirm that you have made a good decision,” Dunn said. “Our job is to make sure you feel welcomed here, supported here and that we care about you.” Dunn said the university has an obvious need to recruit heavily not only in southern Illinois, but in the rest of Illinois as well. He said SIU is not the only university in Illinois to experience a decline in enrollment and acknowledged Northern Illinois University has also seen a decrease. “Don’t ever feel like we are the only institution [struggling]; we have fewer students in the pipeline in high schools and we need to work better and harder with our community college partners,” Dunn said. “Make sure that they are our friends, [...] not our enemies.” Nathan Colombo, local mayoral candidate, asked if Dunn was open to feedback from individuals outside of the institution such as local municipalities, businesses and community organizations.
Brian Munoz | @BrianMMunoz Agnes Castillo (bottom right), a student at the Center for English as a Second Language from Panama, chants while parading across campus on Monday during the the SIU International Week kickoff in Carbondale, Illinois. “My heart is full of pride being here representing Panama,” Castillo said. Students in the CESL program learn how to teach the English language in foreign countries.
Please see DUNN | 3
Please see HANDS UP | 4
‘Hands Up Act’ would punish police for shooting unarmed civilians Emily Cooper | @ecooper212
Travis Washington, a graduate student at SIU, is attempting to push for a piece of legislation that would make it illegal for police officers to shoot someone if the person is found without a weapon. “The 'Hands Up Act" was an idea I created to prevent police officers from shooting unarmed citizens,” Washington said. “We’ve seen all over the country, where citizens have been shot unarmed without any guns in their hands, such as Terence Crutcher, Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. After they were shot unarmed, these officers have never served any prison sentences.” Washington said that officers who shoot someone who is unarmed should
serve a 15 year mandatory sentence, per the act. “What inspired me to do it [is] a disconnect between the community and police officers,” Washington said. “If we want to rebuild this trust, we need laws in order to regain the trust." Washington said that minorities are scared to call the police in various situations because they fear for their lives. Another reason Washington is attempting to get the legislation passed is because of resonating quote from Martin Luther King Jr. – “injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere.” “I have already emailed 102 U.S. senators, Democracy Now, and the Huffington Post. I want them to take what
I have written seriously,” Washington said. “Also, the College Democrats of America, the National Civil Rights Museum and the NAACP shared my petition.” Washington said he has emailed the NAACP and the Lorraine Motel, where King died. He said they’re going to post his petition on their website, and have already shared it on their Facebook pages. “Travis and I were just having a conversation the one day about the level of allowance of police brutality, and he wanted to start a movement about it,” Yazmyne Adams, a senior studying accounting, said. “I told him that he had to start a petition about it.”