Daily Egyptian WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2016
VOL. 100 ISSUE 38
SINCE 1916
DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM
Proposed bill could ban transgender students from some school facilities CORY RAY | @CoryRay_DE
Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Sean Moran, a chemistry and biochemistry assistant professor from Connecticut, points to a table of light-converting modules Monday in McClafferty Annex’s new laser lab. Moran said his research program involves the use of infrared light to study the vibrations of biomolecules, such as protein and DNA. “There are, at most, a few dozen places the world that do infrared work,” Moran said, “It’s is cutting-edge technology.”
McLafferty becomes home to beer, fish and lasers ANNA SPOERRE | @ANNASPOERRE
Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Anthony Porreca, a doctoral student in zoology from Homer Glen, holds a young pallid sturgeon Monday at the newly-renovated wet lab in McLafferty Annex. The facility has enabled Porreca to research the habitat preferences and reproductive success of pallid sturgeons, an endangered species found in the Mississippi and Missouri rivers that is competing for resources with the overpopulated shovelnose sturgeon. Porreca said the research requires salt and fresh water capabilities and control of minute temperature variances, which were not possible in the previous building.
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During winter break, a nearly empty McLafferty Annex was transformed into what is becoming a state-of-the-art research center. The Board of Trustees in 2012 approved $3 million for developing McLafferty Annex — which previously stored books during renovations to Morris Library — into a research facility. An additional $1 million was approved for equipment, according to Jim Garvey, interim vice chancellor for research. “The idea was to make this a building that was available for interdisciplinary research and creative activity on campus,” he said. So far, three interactive lab spaces are ready for research. Fermentation Science Institute In a new, glass-walled classroom students will be able to make, taste-test and analyze alcoholic beverages as part of the first fermentation lab at SIU. Matt McCarroll, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and director of the fermentation institute, said the lab is one of the first in the Midwest. Fermentation science, he said, includes beer, wine, spirits and food production. Please see MCLAFFERTY | 4
Simba Woodard said as a transgender man, even seemingly normal activities such as going to the restroom can be daunting. “I always have trouble deciding where I’m going to go to use the restroom,” said Woodard, a sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., studying journalism. “When I do walk into a women’s bathroom, I get looks and I feel uncomfortable. I would rather go into a men’s restroom, but you’re going to get the same feeling either way.” On Wednesday, State Rep. Thomas Morrison, R-Palatine, filed a bill that would ban transgender students from kindergarten to 12th grade in public schools from using the restrooms and locker rooms of their gender identity. For example, under the new bill a 11th-grader who identifies as female but was born as a male would not be able to use femalespecific facilities. HB4474 had its first reading Friday in the House of Representatives, where it was referred to the Rules Committee. The bill has one Democrat and 11 Republican sponsors. While transgender students would be prohibited from entering restrooms or locker rooms other than that of their birth gender identity, the bill allows schools to provide single-occupancy rooms per a written request. “The purpose of the bill is to accommodate the privacy needs of all students,” Morrison said. “We’re not saying a transgender student must use the room that corresponds to their anatomy. We’re saying that if a student cannot use the facility that corresponds to their anatomy, then the school can allow that student to change in an area where it would be safe for them to do so.” Rep. Thomas Morrison With Morrison and supporters of the bill citing privacy and safety concerns, Woodard said he understands why the bill was proposed. “From a safety standpoint, there are plenty of people who definitely don’t agree with transgender individuals at all,” he said. “I’ve seen people get bullied for it; I’ve seen people get beat up for it.” Please see BILL | 4