Independent Northeastern Illinois University
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
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Vol. 36 Issue 13
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News
Shots fired near El Centro Laura Rojas
An incident of road rage ended in a driver shooting bullets around the corner from the El Centro campus. | Laura Rojas
Two vehicles were involved in a traffic incident that ended with shots fired on March 14. The shooting occurred at 10:45 a.m. on the Kennedy Expressway where the shots were reported to have been fired on the exit ramp to Kimball Avenue, right around the corner from the NEIU El Centro campus. “The victim basically admitted this was road rage,” said NEIU Police Chief John Escalante. The altercation between the two drivers began at some point while the two were driving on the expressway. The victim, a 28-year-old male, alleged that he was being followed on the Kennedy after the traffic incident with the suspect and was fired upon
while trying to escape through an exit. The victim sought police assistance and encountered Officer Jose Orozco, an NEIU police officer who was driving around the El Centro campus perimeter on Avondale Avenue. The victim reported the incident after the suspect fled. According to Illinois State Police — who are now leading the investigation — the suspect was driving a light blue Mercedes Benz sport utility vehicle and one round was fired into the back window of the victim’s car. The bullets exited the car through the front windshield. The victim was not injured during the shooting. Officer Orozco’s report stated that the victim last saw the suspect
continue southbound down Kimball Avenue. Officer Orozco did not hear the round of shots as it was fired and did not see the suspect’s vehicle. The victim was only able to give a vague description of the suspect, stating that the driver was male and appeared to be either Caucasian or Hispanic. Officer Orozco immediately contacted Chicago police who arrived within a minute after the shooting occurred. Subsequently, the Illinois State Police were called onto the scene when it was determined to be within their jurisdiction since the shot took place while on the exit ramp of the Kennedy Expressway. The investigation is still open and no arrests have been made according to the Illinois State Police.
Illinois Writing Project makes leaders out of teachers Bisma Zafar The Illinois Writing Project has made NEIU the home of one of its five university-based writing project sites. IWP is an affiliate of the National Writing Project and made the move from its 30-year location at National Louis University to NEIU. Katy Smith, an NEIU associate professor and IWP co-director for events, led the effort to shift the site to NEIU. It was a year-long effort but the enthusiasm of NEIU’s faculty and the utilization of available resources made Smith sure that NEIU would be a good home for the IWP.
When considering NEIU as site, she sent out a mass email about a preliminary meeting to anyone who might be interested in participating. “The last thing anybody needs is another meeting, and yet, 20 some odd people replied and about 15 people came and the other people who couldn’t come replied and said ‘I’d like to know more I just can come that day,’’ Smith said. “The fact that people were engaged and energized sealed the deal and it was really persuasive to the national network and was really persuasive about what a great place Northeastern is and what a great place it will be as a host for the National Writing Project site.”
The site hosts a few main events each year. The first is a three-week long Summer Leadership Institute. Smith said the event is focused on teaching pedagogy and building leaders from teaching professionals. Christopher Schroeder, a professor in the English department at NEIU, participated as a graduate student in a Summer Leadership Institute at the Gateway Writing Project in St. Louis, and led a Summer Institute in Louisiana. “You spend the summer going to these day long sessions, three or four weeks long, where you spend the day Writing Project / page 3
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Writing Project Continued from page 2 writing and talking and reading and you’re doing your own work. The central principle is that if we’re going to do this work as teachers, we have to be writers and intellectuals ourselves,” he said. “It was that belief, that teachers engage in their work with their students, that seemed so powerful to me.” A shorter one-week version of the Summer Leadership Institute, the Summer Workshop is also offered every summer. Another event that the IWP hosts every year is held on Dupage County Institute day. This year, NEIU was the venue of the event on March 3. The event consists of a day-long conference with a keynote speaker and breakout sessions.
Brian Schultz, chair of the College of Education at NEIU, has previously been a keynote speaker, and many other faculty members have attended this event. IWP hosts a third annual event called Writing Palooza - currently in its second year - which is for first grade through eighth grade students and their family members in Chicago Public Schools and suburban schools. Similar to the professional development events held for teachers, there is a keynote speaker, writing throughout the day and breakout sessions. Sessions have been led by representatives from Mikvah Challenge (a youth empowerment group), Young
Chicago Authors, Storycorp and an editor from the Chicago Sun Times. At the end of the day, students share their writing. “The goal of this event is not to be a writing contest, there are a lot (of) contests out there. The invitation that we send out to schools is to choose a few students that would really benefit from this event,” Smith said. “Whether (the students) are their best writers or their most promising writers or just kids who would just benefit from seeing, ‘Oh wait a minute, other people really write.’” This years Writing Palooza will be held at Carson Elementary School on April 29. The IWP does other professional development events including an evening event held around the National Day on Writing, a Social-Emotional Learning Workshop, and contract work with schools tailored to the needs of the each school.
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NEWS
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Impasse brings out NEIU's resilience
Rut Ortiz Speakers and protesters gathered in front of news cameras while chants of “Bruce better have our money!” and “¡Un pueblo unido no sera vencido!” echoed throughout the northeast entrance of Lech Walesa Hall on Bryn Mawr Avenue. The Spanish chant is loosely translated to “A community united cannot be defeated.” NEIU/UPI called a press conference and rally March 16 as a response to the lack of funding from the state government to public
universities. NEIU faculty, staff and students attended the rally to voice their displeasure. “This isn’t just about this university, this isn’t just about us, this is about the future of Illinois,” said Sophia Mihic, president for the UPI chapter bargaining group at NEIU. “Governor Rauner doesn’t listen. He’s not hearing us; so let him hear us know now. Full funding now!” University leadership at NEIU recently imposed furlough days — unpaid days off — in an attempt to save money and keep the school
Anger and disappointment were themes of the day during the rally that attracted more than 100 attendees.|Rut Ortiz & Robin Bridges
open. The furlough days resulted in five consecutive days that are to be paid out over five weeks, which is equal to an approximate 20 percent cut in salary to faculty and staff. Ruby David, a senior and English major admitted to reconsidering her goal of achieving a masters degree from NEIU due to the budget impasse. “It never occurred to me that a budget crisis would have me rethink my goals,” David said. “However, this crisis will not hold myself back or anybody else back reaching their goal. Even though we feared we were going to close last semester, we did not close. "We returned and we will keep on returning.” NEIU has been operating without monetary appropriations from the state for more than 19 months. Elizabeth Villareal, program specialist for NEIU’s Proyecto Pa’Lante, said that she could not have completed her education without the financial assistance of the Monetary Award Program, a grant funded through the State of Illinois. “Invest in our educational system,” Villareal said. “Stop taking the money away. Enough is enough.”
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Google funds student-proposed computer science grant Sarahy Lopez NEIU students Julien de Castelnau and Austin Leatham wrote a grant proposal that was recently funded by Google to help inspire high school students from low-income or first-generation families to pursue a college degree in computer science. Google awarded the grant, a total of $4,450, which will fund the Upward Bound Math and Science program that introduces students to computer science concepts by offering classes on the subject. “The basic idea is to get young minds in the community inspired by computer science by working with UBMS,” said Leatham, a computer science major. Leatham and de Cas-
telnau hope that UBMS will help high school students further their professional career. “After getting my hands in code, I realized I was really inspired by it,” Leatham said. “So it’s nice to do that from the outside and get high schoolers inspired while they’re in high school to make the decision to go into computer science.” Leatham and de Castelnau were approached by Assistant Professor Rachel Trana and Associate Dean Marcelo Sztainberg from the department of arts and sciences to write the proposal. They were given a deadline of about a week to submit to Google igniteCS, which provides funding and resources toward computer science mentorships.
“The hardest part was pulling together all the other mentors getting interested in commitments from them, because of the students quickly changing their plans,” Leatham said. “We were working over that whole weekend, on our own time, emailing back and forth while writing the proposal.” Leatham said it was his first time writing a proposal for a grant, but received help from de Castelnau and Trana. The main objective of the proposal was fostering an inclusive environment, serving underrepresented high schoolers that are not in the major demographic of computer science like minority or female students. An overview of the program, along with the list of sessions, were
written into the proposal, as well as the overall budget cost. UBMS is a federally funded program housed at the Center for College Access and Success of Northeastern Illinois University which serves high school students from local Chicago public schools. The program was designed for developing science and math skills, encouraging students to pursue degrees in those areas after high school. It is directed at first-generation, college-bound students or those who come from low-income families. The sessions are two hours and continue for six weeks, providing hands-on experience like disassembling and reassembling computers, coding and learning about softwares.
Pre-surveys and post-surveys will also be provided toward mentors and mentees to continue seeking ways of improving the sessions. “We want to reach people that haven’t thought of pursuing a computer science degree,” Trana said. “It is unrestricted in the sense that we want to be having peer-mentoring. There is no GPA (requirement). We want to target students that haven’t thought about computer science as a possibility.” Trana said that UBMS will be contacting Roosevelt High School to recruit students that haven’t participated in the program and do not have experience in coding or computer science but have an interest in computer science, though it is not a requirement.
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WTF: What, the furlough? Jason Merel The university is rapidly approaching a financial wall. The administration and faculty are working to reduce it to a speed bump. It won’t be an easy journey but by working together both seem convinced that NEIU’s future is bright. Last year, faculty and staff received seven weeks of 20 percent furloughs. The imposed furlough days this semester have been five consecutive days during Spring Break. “At the end of January when we looked at our cash flow, we discovered a shortfall in our general operations budget,” said Michael Pierick, NEIU CFO and vice president for finance and administration. “When the so-called ‘Grand Bargain’ fell apart, we realized that we would not get any more state appropriations for this fiscal year (ending in June).” The general operations budget accounts for the day-to-day operation of the university: primarily instruction and maintenance. The revenue for this budget is tuition and state appropriations. The shortfall was about $8.2 million. The administration looked into the university’s savings. This included savings from the hiring and spending freezes and certain allocated money (for instance, $500,000 is set aside for deferred maintenance items such as emergency roof or sidewalk repairs) that have not been used. After factoring in all of these various savings, there is still a shortfall of about $2.8 million to make it to the end of the fiscal year in June. The administration also projected and will be looking at another $16.7 million shortfall between June and Sept. 30. “We also have a problem, though, in making it to Sept. 30,” Pierick said. The problem: his office has to make payroll on Sept. 11 for the Sept. 15 payday. But financial aid is not posted until after the enrollment census data, which is taken the tenth day of classes. This is the period in which aid money is awarded from the state to the university based on course enrollment, since many students add and drop classes during this period. Financial aid gets posted on Sept. 12 and there will not be enough time to hit the payroll on Sept. 15. Executive Vice President of NEIU/UPI 4100 and English Department faculty member Tim Barnett said, “The worry is that they’re just going to keep taking money … and we want to figure out a way to more appropriately respond to that, other than just saying, ‘Here, take our pay.’” However, negotiations with UPI and Amer-
ican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are ongoing. “We’ve been teaching, we’ve been doing research, we’ve been contributing to this university in all kinds of ways,” Barnett said. “We want to have a significant voice in how we are able to teach, what we are able to teach and how the university works.” Financial Aid Director Maureen Amos said the silver lining is that state grants such as MAP are a political asset too valuable to be eliminated. State appropriations have been decreasing significantly over the last few years and the university has been fronting this money to students since the beginning of the budget impasse and billing the state afterward. “At one point, MAP used to cover all tuition and fees but it’s been over a decade,” Amos said. The introduction of student housing and changes in status for grant eligibility contribute toward some of these fluctuations. As part of the Money group, one of the four groups that comprise the the Forward 150 initiative, Amos has been looking at trends at other universities. Many institutions are incorporating an aspect of fundraising into their financial aid director positions, since they are in the best position to be able to identify areas of financial need. Despite the financial uncertainties ahead, NEIU’s graduate programs are looking to expand. Michael Stern, dean of College of Graduate Studies and Research said, “There have been modest gains in graduate enrollment at Northeastern.” And faculty find themselves in a tricky position, caught between maintaining the party line of the university and advocating for more comprehensive solutions. “On the one hand, we want to make this a great environment for students no matter what happens,” Barnett said. “ I think there’s a lot of concern that most of the time students don’t really know there’s a problem, and we want to get them involved...this isn’t just about our jobs, it’s about their education. Those things are completely intertwined.” Both Pierick and Amos remain confident that the budget impasse is a temporary setback. “We will have been open for 150 years this fall,” Pierick said. “And we will be here for another 150 years.” Amos said: “One of our biggest things here. Is to keep morale up and let staff know that they’re doing good things and that a budget impasse, or budget cuts or furloughs are not a reflection on the job they do.”
Opinions
TheEditorial Independent Board Editor-in-Chief Brett Starkopf
Knowing when to fold
Managing Editor Robin Bridges Production Editor Pablo Medina News Editor Rut Ortiz Opinions Editor Danny Montesdeoca Sports Editor Spencer Jones Arts & Life Editor Cecilia Hernandez Online Editor Christian Gralak
Independent Staff Copy Editors John Cummings Naaim Siddiqi Production Staff Jason Merel Writers Megan Couty Laura Rojas Idoia Solano Covadonga Solares Regina Torres Bisma Zafir Sarahy Lopez Cartoonists GN Marketing and Advertising Director Christopher Starnawski Payroll Manager Cheryl Johnson The Independent is a public forum for the university and community around Northeastern Illinois University. The Independent is completely student run and receives no prior review of its content by anyone other than its student editors. Views presented do not necesarily represent those of the administration, faculty or students. The Independent is a member of the Illinois College Press Association and Associated Collegiate Press.
Gambling has always had its negative connotation associated with it, but is there a valid place in society for it? | Coutesy of BagoGames via Flickr
Pablo Medina March is recognized as the month of giving through the March of Dimes, the celebration of St. Patrick and Ireland and as the first month to bring in the lovely spring sun and flora. In recent years, the month has adopted a new awareness of a serious problem: gambling addiction. The month of Problem Gambling Awareness gained more attention after Mike Gelatka, president of the Illinois Gaming Machine Operators Association, released a statement on Mar. 14 about helping gambling addicts through developing problem awareness and initiative to stop dangerous gaming habits. A hotline for the association can be reached at 1-800-GAMBLER, but the IGMOA’s expansion now includes a counselor available 24 hours every day of the week by texting “ILGAMB” to 53342. The organization also includes online chat services at either Illinoisalliance.org or IGMOA.org "Every day around Illinois, people enter bars, restaurants and fraternal organizations to have fun and play the machines, creating and supporting jobs and enjoying our entertainment," Gelatka said in the statement. "Some players face problems, and we take those seriously. We hope these new messaging support services will build on the success of
the telephone hotline and make sure those who need help can get it, day or night." This is a move that makes absolute sense, given that in today’s culture, people spend more time on their smartphones. Whether they are browsing apps and the Internet for entertainment, work, personal affairs, or creative outlets, the smartphone has become a tool of great importance, and the Association is catching wind of that. I do recognize, however, that Gelatka’s message of resolving gambling addiction is at odds with how available and close the industry is making its machines to the public. Machines show up in bars, some restaurants, karaoke venues, hotels, and even at the side of pinball and video game arcades. Illinois lodges, once a common venue for such machines to appear, were abandoned in favor of places with more exposure, like stores and coin laundromats. "Coffee shops and laundromats and anything else that big dollar was able to persuade the state to allow them to do,” exalted ruler of Elks Lodge #281 Jerry Leininger said. Leininger once had three machines placed in his lodge for one week, with security equipment and separate electrical connections for their installation.
However, Leininger had to remove them after they saw little use from their customers, even after the lodge was renovated to hold the machines for $7,500. Though the investment failed for Leininger, the industry and companies enjoyed a revenue boost from the exposure in commercial stores. From September 2012 to June 2016, the amount of video gaming machines went from under 100 to over 23 thousand units across Illinois alone. Not to mention, the state took in over $600 million from that span of time, while the municipalities took in $122 million. So one has to wonder: where does all that money go? In an article from Illinois Public Media, Jenna Dooley compiled data from the amount of machines available in major Illinois cities and the amount of money invested from the gamblers of those machines, provided by both Gelatka’s association and the Illinois Church Action on Alcohol and Addiction Problems via contributor Anita Bedell. According to the ICAAAP’s spreadsheet of the Illinois Gaming Board’s figures on loss totals, Springfield, the city with the highest video gambling losses in Illinois from 542 machines, totaled over $75.5 million from September 2012 to now. Other cities trailing Springfield’s
numbers include Rockford, Decatur and Bloomington, to name a few. 25 percent of the revenue goes to the state for capital and five percent stays with the communities containing the machines. Officials like Rockford City Administrator Jim Ryan looked to the revenue as a means to fund equipment for civil services, expenses that would normally be covered by the state’s budget. “We were having to, you know, talk to other municipalities and buy used equipment for ambulances and fire trucks – and it’s very capital-intensive,” Ryan says. Seeing as how the Illinois legislators and governor have yet to agree on a fair budget since FY2015, cities are taking every outlet as an opportunity to self-sustain their capitals in hopes of gaining regular funding. As conflicting and personal video gambling may be for people, gambling has become larger than a simple habit for the public, and it has become a source of capital for cities to depend on as the budget stays unsolved for Illinois’s population. Though I may not find a use for it, the revenue and even the practice can be beneficial and positive when it is directed to the greater goods and needs of the people who need it. Just remember to ban yourself from casinos when you know you’re in too deep.
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Remembering an Independent alumna’s passion for art, life
Left: Carboni dressed as wooden doll just outside the Student Union. Top Right: Carboni pictured fought through her share of hardships, including epilepsy and colon cancer. Botton Right: Carboni (right) pictured with her friend along the streets of San Francisco. Cecilia Carboni, an artist and a free spirit who lived her life uniquely her way, died after an 18-month battle with colon cancer last month. She was 32. There was something special about Cecilia. Everyone knew it, but few could put their finger on it. For some, it was her intellect. For others, her morbid curiosity. But for those who got to know her in the offices, lounges and classrooms of NEIU we knew there was a energy inside her that was impossible to ignore. Like many at NEIU, she was one of the first in her family to attend college. And like many at this school, she came to the university a child of another country, a unique square of the fabric that makes NEIU one of the most diverse universities in the nation.
But that’s far from what made her unique. What made her special was her zeal for life, for culture, for experiences, for art and for her quest to build a masterpiece. Whether it was a well-written story in the pages of the Independent circa 2003 or a work of art in the pages of her notebook, she brought beauty into the world. Born in Argentina in 1984, Cecilia moved to the United States with her parents, who later gave birth to her brother Rodolfo, the star in her eyes. Her intensity toward her work could only be rivaled by that of a surgeon. Beautiful and dark, her art was intentional – and she strived for perfection. She inspired others to do the same in their own work through her encouragement, stimulating their creativity for
taking photos, writing words or chasing dreams. She was a blithe spirit who was fun to be around, in part because she was known for the elaborate – like the time she dressed as a wooden doll for Halloween, made memorable by the intricate thin brown lines she drew on her skin. A living masterpiece, she acted like she was hard as wood. But inside, she was full of creativity and loved pouring her passion into the people and projects around her. When she wasn’t giving herself into this newspaper – she was its creative soul which earned her numerous awards – she was making art for fun. She served as a staff member of the Independent from 2003 to 2007. It was that same morbid curiosity that made her battle with cancer both
ironic and inspiring. After her diagnosis in the fall of 2015, she chronicled her journey fighting for her life on her blog Bowels of Madness, http://bowelsofmadness.blogspot.com. She wrote fearlessly about the pain, depression, and the reality that cancer would take her life. But she also called b.s. on fear that incapacitates us all, and fought to give others facing Stage 4 cancer a voice. Ceci rarely shied away from talking about the hard truths of life, willing to bare her soul to the genuinely interested. She was once a columnist in these pages, writing the “Voice of the Campus” column fighting for social justice. At the same time, she was going to war with epilepsy, both afraid of the random chaotic episodes and determined to confront them.
She had a look in her eyes that was impossible to mistake. She’d peer over her rimmed glasses like she could see into someone’s soul. Turns out she could see what was special in each of us. If she saw a spark in someone, she’d fan it to help the light grow. She brought that passion to everything she did, and that defined who she was. Energy can never be destroyed, it can only be converted. Her energy, which was always ever eternal, will live on – as it will with all of us. Contributed by Andrea Zelinski who covers state government for the Houston Chronicle. She served as Editor-in-Chief of the Independent from 2002-2005, which were among the most magical years of her life.
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What does NEIU Lagers are for beer snobs, too think of Islam? Idoia Solano If NEIU had to be described with one word, diverse would be it. Our campus is formed by students, professors and other staff that come from different cultural backgrounds, practice various religions and speak several languages. The Muslim community represents a considerable portion of the students at NEIU. So much so, that NEIU has a room dedicated for Salah, the Arabic word for prayer, on the second floor of the Student Union. Lately, Muslims have been the target of our political institutions, the most clear example being President Trump’s new travel ban that blatantly discriminates people from the Middle East. Does this discrimination take place as well within Northeastern campus? The general perception is that NEIU is a discrimination-free campus, where all the students find a place to freely profess their religion and culture without feeling judged. “This is a diverse campus, we have a lot of different people and I don’t see a giant dominating race here. It seems to be all pretty blended,” said Fabian Steele, a communications major. He also acknowledged having friends that practice Islam, but not on campus. However, other interviewed students admit to be pretty uneducated about this religion. “I never was able to learn more about their culture, or not as much as I think I should know.” said Morelia Diaz, a student at NEIU. Others had some sense of Islam and its culture. “I’m personally not religious at this moment, but I do know a little bit about Islam because I took a class
about it in high school,” said Zach Lugo. “I learned how committed people of this culture are.”He also said that this has given him a newfound respect for Islam’s culture. For Muslim students, NEIU represents a place of freedom and respect. “We’ve never felt that we weren’t part of the place. We have never had any bad experience, per se,” said Hesham, a 29-year-old Saudi Arabian communications major. Hesham has been in Chicago for more than a year and has lived in Scotland and London. He practices Islam and perceives NEIU as a “very welcoming place for everyone” regardless of the religion they practice. Ayesha Khalid’s, 22, says that NEIU is very accepting of Islam. “It’s very diverse, so I haven’t faced any problem because of my religion,” Khalid said. “People here are very respectful and open-minded towards each other, so I’m glad to say that I’ve never witnessed discrimination against Muslims or any other religion. I haven’t seen even one person at NEIU who would look at me differently because of my Hijab.” The Muslim Student Association on campus is focused on helping Muslim students through their college experience. Nida Kidwai, president of the MSA, emphasized they attempt to include “anyone and everyone” in every event they do, whether they are Muslim or not. The association’s main goal, as she explains, is to “make Muslims on campus feel like they belong, because there’s a place for them to go and feel safe and secure.” Respect and positive attitudes towards diversity exude out NEIU’s student body, making campus a place where everybody can feel free to be themselves.
Lagers can range from the classic golden clear look to blackish-opaque dunkel style lager. Either or makes for a refreshing drink. | Courtesy of Ted Eytan via Flickr
Danny Montesdeoca The craft beer scene in the U.S. has brought us many wonderfully delicious interpretations of different styles of beer. Brewers are aging their stouts in whiskey barrels and dousing them with coffee. Pale ales can be anywhere between from being layered with tropical fruits to being hop forward with a piney bitterness. This explosion of creativity has also given rise to the beer snob, and with it a pretentious attitude towards the style of beer everyone tends to associate with beer: the lager. Lagers are the type of beer preferred by macro-breweries such as Anheuser-Busch and Miller. Because of this, the style has garnered a reputation of being flavorless and boring in the craft beer scene, but we honestly can’t blame the American macro-breweries for producing that type of beer. It is, afterall, the American interpretation of a lager. Lager has its origins in Germany with different regions coming out with their styles, like the Dortmunder Lager and the Munich Dunkel. Soon it spread to neighboring countries and the Vienna Lager and Czech Pilsner were introduced. Germans started migrating heavily to the US during the latter half of the 19th century, and with them they brought along their beer recipes. They found that the type of barley
that grew in the U.S. was a different type than in Europe. Barley is one of the base ingredients in beer and gives it its malty flavor. American barley, which is high in protein and low in sugar, produced a lager that was hazy and didn’t quite capture the crispness of a lager because there wasn’t enough sugar for the yeast to ferment. So these brewers used adjuncts such as rice and corn. The sugars in the adjuncts allowed the brewers to achieve the clear look of the beer they enjoyed back in Europe. The barley in Europe was high in sugar and low in protein which allowed for a fermentation process that didn’t require corn or rice. The only thing the Europeans would add were hops. And that’s a lager, barley and hops. It’s beer in its most simplistic form. It uses these two basic ingredients found in all beer. A true lager is an appreciation for these two ingredients, without the use of any adjuncts. And since it relies on these two ingredients, masking any mistakes along the brewing process is difficult. Lagers are deceptively diverse, too. A light Czech pilsner is every bit a lager as a dark Munich dunkel. Oktoberfest beers are a fall season staple that also fall within the lager family. Different regions produce distinct styles like the Dortmunder lager and the Vienna lager.
Regardless of the beer snob, American breweries have remained faithful to producing lagers, only without the help of adjuncts. These new age interpretations of old school tradition are a refreshing change of pace from the bitterness of IPA’s and the full-bodiedness of stouts. Chicago has a thriving craft beer scene of its own with many delicious lagers to choose from. Revolution Brewing Co., Chicago’s largest craft brewery, has it’s lager that it produces year-round in Rev Pils. Dry Hop makes its own hoppy Czech pilsner and 5 Rabbit Cerveceria makes a big boy pilsner called Gringolandia that sits at an unusually high 7.2 percent ABV. Metropolitan Brewing makes its malty copper lager, Dynamo. The Pilsner-Lager made by Two Brother’s Artisan Brewing can easily become the new go-to for any Bud-Miller-Coors sipper. Macro-breweries may have pounced on lager’s cheap cost to produce, but that doesn’t mean that craft beer drinkers have to reject lagers entirely. When done right, a lager produces a taste that orchestrates simplicity perfectly. It produces a wide range of complex flavors from two main ingredients found in every style of beer. Is a beer snob who doesn’t like lagers even a beer snob? Cheers to lagers!
Covadonga Solares Undoubtedly one of the most stigmatized and tabooed words around the world in the 21st century. That’s exactly why “The Vagina Monologues” was born, to break all the stereotypes and create a space for equality and open conversation focused on women. The group of 20 women will reenact Eve Ensler’s script, a play that puts together experiences of different women taken from interviews all around the world. The NEIU production gave a new spin to the text as it includes a spotlight piece of the cast’s own existences. “‘The Vagina Monologues’ is (about) not being afraid to say vagina; to talk about the highs and lows that come hand-in-hand with being a woman, but also to raise awareness on women empowerment,” said cast member and psychology major Diamond Barnes. “The concept of the play intrigued me because the stories are from experiences of actual women,”
A&L ‘The Vagina Monologues’ This one night only show will take place in the Alumni Hall on Mar. 30 at 7 p.m. It features a complete NEIU cast of students, alumni and faculty members. | Mary Kroeck
said Suzanne Navarrete, an Elementary Education major. “The message I want the audience to leave with is: as women, we face many problems that many times go unseen. These stories have deep meaning to how some women feel about themselves and how other people in their lives have
affected the way they think. Women are powerful and rise above all the stereotypes and stigmas placed upon them.” The Obie Award-winning show is an uncensored tale of various women’s issues like sex, childbirth, rape and gender identity based on differ-
SOAK UP THE SUN. EXPLORE THE CITY. TAKE THE CLASSES YOU NEED.
ent backgrounds and experiences. It focuses on the struggles and joy of being a women. Director Mary Kroeck was approached by the Pedroso Center to carry out a performance for Women’s History Month after she successfully directed “Real Women Have Curves.”
Kroeck suggested doing “The Vagina Monologues” because it’s a show talking about issues that are important to the NEIU community, With the current US political climate, feminism is looked at as a “dirty word,” and there’s still a long way to go to achieve gender equality. “Rape culture is still prevalent in our society and issues relating to women’s rights are rarely discussed in an open context,” Kroeck said. “The show is about having open conversations on what women have to go through on a daily basis.” “The Vagina Monologues” will be taking place as part of V Day, an organization that runs different art pieces for charity purposes and it’s a tool for activism to draw the public’s attention to women’s issues. The proceeds of the show will be donated to Planned Parenthood of Illinois and the V Day Foundation. Tickets for students are $5 and $10 for general public. Don’t miss out on the opportunity and join the cast on March 30 for an unforgettable night.
Roosevelt’s Summer Session allows you to enjoy summer and get one step closer to graduation by earning the credits you need. Our summer schedule offers a large variety of 1-week, 2-week, 5-week and 10-week courses. Online and oncampus classes are available at our Chicago and Schaumburg locations from May through August. Find your course and make summer count! Learn more at
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SUMMER SESSION
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017
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Vegan-friendly spots in Chicagoland Regina M. Torres Perhaps you’re considering expanding your palate to include trying new food and drinks? Maybe you’re seeking to experiment with healthier eating while leaving a smaller carbon footprint, or already living a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle and are wishing to try Chicagoland restaurants offering many animal free menu options. Whichever the reason may be, here are several popular restaurants offering unique, healthy and delicious fare that won’t weigh your body and brain down. The Amazing Kale Burger This little diner was voted by Chicago Magazine as best veggie burger in 2016. The entire vegan menu is gluten-free and made from scratch with locally sourced ingredients. The star on the menu is the kale burger that’s made with veggies, proteins and spices. The small menu is centered around innovative combinations, side dishes and burger toppings. Try the Shirley burger topped with beets and sauerkraut. Non-alcoholic drinks such as fruity spritzers are offered, as well as non-dairy versions of favorite baked cakes and cookies. This laid-back and affordable diner offers a welcoming vibe and colorful atmosphere, as well as a weekend brunch, which is reportedly fantastic according to Facebook testimonials. They also have a small stage where they occasionally have live entertainment. Refer to their Facebook page AmazingKaleBurger for current happenings. Their website www.amazingkaleburger.com is under construction. 741 Howard St. Evanston, IL. 847-660-4330 LYFE Kitchen LYFE Kitchen is not an exclusively modern vegan or vegetarian spot, but what is innovative about this healthy and affordable chain is it’s single menu consisting of a labeling vegan options with a “V.” Here we have separate menus for vegans, gluten-frees and everything eaters, making gastronomic life easier for all. There is even a Little LYFERS section for kids on each menu, as well as nutritional facts listed below each item. Even dishes with
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nuts are labeled for those with allergies to tree nuts. Convenience and freshness are the focus as the menu offers well-balanced and quick meals, such as the quinoa crunch bowl consisting of: quinoa tabbouleh, crispy veggies, avocado, arugula, edamame hummus, spicy vinaigrette and hot sauce. What I found unique was the shareable edamame — as opposed to traditional chickpea — hummus plate which came with an array of fresh, colorful raw veggies and toasty pita points. The bowl of sweet corn chowder with cashew cream was also delightful – and inexpensive —at under $5. They even have fresh baked vegan and gluten-free goodies such as the chocolate budino, a concoction of pomegranate, chia seeds and toasted almonds. They also have classic veganized chocolate chip and ginger snap cookies. Besides the vibrant microgreens display as centerpiece, a nice touch is the complementary fruit and herb infused water on tap. Alcohol is also served. With locations downtown, Lincoln Park and Evanston, you can visit www.lyfekitchen.com for more info. Amitabul Simply Vegan Not too far from our main campus sits a well-loved Korean vegan restaurant. Picked as Chicagoist’s 2016’s No.1 “9 Best Vegan Restaurants in Chicago.” They dish up their spicy, super healthy, homemade fare with a bit of Buddhist love by chef Bill Choi, who recreates the clean-food dishes of his grandmother from Seoul, South Korea. Their Facebook page is filled with patrons proclaiming the Dr. K’s healing medicine soup chased their flu or hangovers away. This is a huge, shareable, complete meal of aromatic/spicy tofu, noodles, seaweed and veggies. Tofu mandu-dumplings served with a house-made spiced miso sauce proved delicious as well as fresh vegan sushi made with crispy root vegetables and wrapped in seaweed. The menu is extensive, offering all sorts of traditional Korean pancakes, soups, specials, rice and noodle dishes and even invigorating tonic teas such as organic ginger and citron. They are open for lunch and dinner.
Find them on Facebook at AnitabulVegan1 or visit their website at www.Amitabulvegan.com. They are located at 6207 N. Milwaukee Avenue, close to the Jefferson Park blue line train station. (773) 774-0276. The Chicago Diner This establishment has a saying, “meat free since ’83” and they have stayed true to their veg standards since then. They offer a mouth-watering and award winning vegetarian menu of comfort food with an emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. The emphasis at this American 50’s bebop themed diner is on vegan food offerings with dairy and meat substitutes such as Daiya cheese, a plant-based cheese. You can find rbgh/rbst-free cow dairy and hen eggs as well. There is a reason this place has such a solid reputation all over the world. Well, there’s more than one reason. Their trademarked Radical Reuben vegan sandwich and frothy, creamy vegan shakes, with some being gluten-free, are worthy enough of being air shipped! For an appetizer, try the Canadian style poutine dish of fries, country gravy and vegan cheese or the Thai chili wings made from seitan. In place of corned beef, the Reuben is made of plantbased seitan and is topped with a mound of grilled onions, peppers, sauerkraut, veganized thousand island dressing and cheese on typical marble rye bread. Also on the menu: fresh varieties of soups, salads, appetizers, rotating seasonal specials, entrees such as pierogi quesadillas or truffle mushroom lentil loaf, classic and modern takes on sandwiches/burgers (the Cajun black bean burger is delish, complete with fried jalapenos). They offer daily brunch until 3pm, amazing shakes, beer, wine and cocktails. Special mention goes to the extensive bakery line and they carry Blue Sky sodas, a natural line of drinks made with cane sugar and natural flavorings. Catering and bakery orders are available for pick up only. They have two Chicago locations on 3411 N. Halsted Street, (773) 935-6696, and 2333 N. Milwaukee Avenue, (773) 2523211. Visit www.veggiediner.com for more information or visit TheChicagoDiner Facebook page for current listings and photos.
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017
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A&L
The Cherokee Nation and Habitat for Humanity: Tahlequah, OK
Cecilia Hernandez
Under the Alternative Spring Break program at NEIU, 10 NEIU students traveled to Tahlequah, Oklahoma to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and learn about the Cherokee Nation. I was among the ten students. In the rural country, we were taught how to properly handle tools and follow procedures to build a house. The house is for Jana Taylor, an elderly woman whom does not have running water in her current home, and uses space heaters to keep warm during the winter. We worked around seven hours each day of the week where we build not only a home for Taylor, but we also built friendships among our peers and mentors known as caravaners. We helped the caravaners finish the roof, indoor framing and half of the siding, which pushed the construction two-and-a-half weeks ahead of schedule. After our construction day ended, we would head home for a quick shower and lunch, then prepared for a night with some members of the Cherokee Nation. During these nights, we learned about Cherokee History, particularly the effect The Trail of Tears had on five indigenous tribes, through stories, discussions and games. We learned how to weave baskets and visited museums. At the end of each day, we would have reflections where we shared our perspectives of the Cherokee Nation. With the help of our student leader Steven Cristi and advisor Rae Joyce Baguilat, we were able to transform from complete strangers to friends--people who shared an unforgettable experience that brought us closer than ever. For anyone interested, a presentation will be conducted in the following weeks about these students’ experiences, so keep on the look-out for that.
Sports Nike reveals Pro Hijab Muslim athletes like Zahra Lari and Manal Rostom get the chance to perform freely in their respected sports with the introduction of Nike’s Pro Hijab. | Courtesy of Nike
Covadonga Solares After running a controversial commercial directed at Arab women, Nike unveiled its new “Pro Hijab,” a high performance Hijab for Muslim women athletes. In the advertisement, five female athletes were featured under the tagline: “What will they say about you?” This was meant to encourage Muslim athletes to pursue their dreams. The single layer pull-on made from lightweight polyester in dark and neutral colors will be available for sale in spring 2018, after Nike spent 13 months designing the piece. The hijab is opaque, a requirement for hijab-wearing women, but still breathable as the fabric has holes that are microscopic. The world-known company began developing the product after various Muslim athletes complained about wearing a traditional head scarf during professional competitions, as the issue of comfort has always been
a problem. Headgear must not slow the athletes down or distract them from executing a top performance, a difficulty when finding hijabs designed to meet the requirements for competition. Such troubles inspired the Pro Hijab project. Throughout the different stages of development of the product, which is expected to cost $35, it was tested by various international Muslim athletes such as Zahra Lari, the first figure skater from the United Arab Emirates, Manal Rostom, a runner and triathlete and Amna Al Haddad, an Olympic weight lifter. Helio de los Santos is a member of the NIKE Ekin program. He’s a part of the company’s outreach squads that act as storytellers tasked with spreading the word on Nike’s new products and technologies. “Nike is all about creating and engineering their products through the lens of the athlete and helping them perform at their best. There
was a need for a garment that provides not only the coverage that you get from a traditional hijab but also offers all the performance aspects that we build into our products like breathability and sweat wicking technology.” Santos said. “The Pro Hijab is the first of its kind and for Muslim women everywhere that wear a Hijab, this is a way for them to participate in sports with increased confidence and a sense of empowerment,” The Pro Hijab falls under Nike’s Equality Campaign, and as he explained “By Nike’s definition, if you have a body you are an athlete. Being defined by your actions on the field of play and not by your looks or beliefs is an integral part of the message. That means that all athletes everywhere can share in the brotherhood or sisterhood of team and sport and apply that off the field in their lives daily.” Chriz Cordero, a campus recreation intern and health and wellness major at NEIU, works on a daily basis
at the P.E. Complex. “I see girls wearing hijabs at the gym so I believe that the high-performance hijab would be great for Muslim women to use because it would be easier for them to work out.” Cordero stated. “I haven’t worn a hijab before, but I’m sure it could be a little uncomfortable or it makes them sweat more. The hijab could motivate more Muslim women to work out if they feel comfortable wearing it.” Cordero continue by stating “There are no judgments toward anyone inside the building, and I have never encountered a conflict that involves Muslim women wearing hijabs. There is also a Zumba event taking place next week located in Campus Rec and sponsored by the Muslim Students Association, where all women are invited to dance and have a great time.” Sumayyah Zaki, the secretary of the Muslim Student Association at NEIU, considers the involvement from such a big brand like Nike an
opportunity for people to become more tolerant especially in the current political context where there is so much racial hate around the world. “There is discrimination everywhere, even in sports, and being a woman just makes you an even shinier target.” Zaki said. “My hijab is my identity and it’s always on my head, so I wouldn’t take it off while I’m playing sports. I am very glad that now with this new hijab that Nike is launching it’ll be cool to try it on and play sports.” The MSA is also hosting an event called “The Hijab Challenge” on March 27 and 28 , where they will be handing out free hijabs in Village Square for female students, faculty and staff members to wear them and show their support to the Muslim community. On April 6, there will be a follow up discussion on how and what kind of experiences the challengers have witnessed because of wearing the hijab, and food will be provided.
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Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Sports
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MLB’s rule changes are necessary or ridiculous and there’s no middle ground Naaim Siddiqi Baseball season is finally here. After a five month break, the Cubs enter the 2017 season as the World Champions looking to defend their title and the White Sox enter as a rebuilding young team hoping to echo the success of their north side counterparts. The 2017 season will also see some rule changes, as announced jointly by MLB and the MLB Players Association, chiefly three new rules, with the first rule having multiple changes, clarifying the replay system and a controversial rule regarding intentional walks. 1. Replay Rules MLB originally instituted instant replay exclusively for home runs in 2008 before expanding its replay rules in 2014 to include numerous other plays. Since 2014, many fans have complained about the replay system in place, particularly the time spent waiting on the field for a review to be completed, the number of reviews late in the game and the time a manager waits before signaling for a replay. These delay the game and take the focus away from the action while a manager waits on a dugout step for a signal that his video team has determined a review is optimal, followed
by a long review process that averages two and a half minutes and, in the case of one Blue Jays-Athletics game, can take nearly 11 minutes. Three new rule changes look to address each of those concerns. The first rule is a 30-second limit for a manager to request a replay review, effectively eliminating a manager’s option to wait until effectively eliminating a manager’s option to wait for assurance that the replay is approved before asking for it. The second rule is a change to Crew Chief review, which previously allowed the umpiring crew to invoke a replay at any time beginning at the seventh inning but now only allows these reviews beginning in the eighth inning, cutting down on late-game reviews. The third rule is a “conditional” two-minute guideline for officials to render a decision, cutting down on the lengthy review process and guaranteeing no more 11-minute review processes. I have always thought replay review was a positive for the game of baseball and these new rules address most of the concerns that I had with the process. Cutting down on the time it takes to review is certainly a positive and MLB has been looking on ways to reduce the time of baseball games for years, hoping to draw
Graphic by Spencer Jones
in younger fans to the game. To that effect, they also introduced another, more controversial rule this year. 2. The Intentional Walk Rule Since 1889, four balls have been required in a plate appearance in order for a player to be issued a walk, or base on balls. The intentional walk predates the four-pitch walk, with records of it dating back to 1881, when eight balls were required for a walk. Beginning in 2017, pitchers will be able to intentionally walk a batter with zero pitches, requiring only a signal from the dugout. The start of a no-pitch walk allows the defensive team’s manager to signal a decision to the home plate umpire in order to intentionally walk the batter. The umpire follows the signal of the manager’s intention and immediately awards the batter first base. This is an entirely ridiculous rule change that has a net negative on the experience of a baseball game. MLB / page 15
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She’s a girl: An underestimation MLB of women in sports
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
Continued from page 13
Megan County It’s the start of a new track season at Illinois Wesleyan University, and 17-time All-American athlete, Lauren Alpert-Zeunik, physical therapist, doctor of physical therapy, and certified strength and conditioning specialist, walks into the field house of her alma mater to train her athletes. She hears whispers from new, and predominantly male, athletes saying, “Oh, that’s your strength and conditioning coach?” This is nothing new for the thin, 5’4” physical therapist– people have been underestimating her for years. Her first experience came when training a bunch of high school male athLauren letes who took one look at their female trainer and said, “This is going to be nothing.” By the end of the intense workout and after a few minutes of catching their breath they had all changed their tune. When asked about what she practiced in her training that day, all she had to say was, “I did nothing different than anyone else, but these guys weren’t expecting it from a young woman.” She and so many other females working in sports related fields experience this underestimation from men on a regular basis. Though we live in a society that’s
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a huge significance to being not only just a female, but also the first female executive director for a men’s professional union. In a May 2016 interview with Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Roberts said, “I certainly intended to be the best executive director in the history of the union, anyway. But now I better because the thought is if I’m not, then there’ll always be some silly person who says, ‘Well, she was a girl.’” As if to say a person’s gender determines success. As if to say being a girl is an excuse for failure. As if to say a girl couldn’t live up to what a man could do. As if to say a girl is lesser than her male counterparts. Wo m e n Alpert-Zeunik, physical therapist have spent so much time trying to prove themselves in order to gain respect in male domicomplishment, most of these women aren’t even really recognized for the nated fields. Sure, you could argue work that they do or the influence that men must prove themselves in they have. sports careers as well, but when a One of the most powerful women man commands respect in sports, in sports, according to a December especially from athletes, it is pretty 2015 article from Forbes, is Michele willingly given. Roberts, the executive director of Even Alpert-Zeunik said, “In my the NBA Players Association. Before fields, physical therapy and coaching, becoming the first woman to head a you have to learn to talk bigger than sports union on a major profession- you are, bigger than a man, in order al level, she was one of the top trial to command and earn that respect.” Hopefully one day soon we’ll get lawyers in the U.S. known for her to the point where “equality,” really ruthless negotiating skills. Even Roberts knows that there is means equal in the world of sports. becoming more and more focused on gender equality, the one field that hasn’t kept up with that practice is sports. As of January 2016, there were only five females with coaching jobs in men’s professional sports. Most of these women were hired between 2014 and 2016 as assistant coaches. Although coaching men on a major league level is quite the ac-
In my fields, physical therapy and coaching, you have to learn to talk bigger than you are, bigger than a man, in order to command and earn that respect.
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First of all, the only positives are a minor increase in pace of play (assuming one minute per intentional walk, 932 intentional walks in the 2016 season over a total of 4856 games played results in a grand total of 11.5 seconds saved per game on average) and a minor decrease in number of pitches thrown by a pitcher, which would have an impact on his fatigue. On the other hand, intentional walks have always carried some sort of risk, most notably in a few rare occurrences when a pitch ended up close enough to the plate for the batter to hit it (as Miguel Cabrera once did for a game-winning single) or the more common occurrence when the pitch goes wild and runners move
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forward. Every pitch can be a mistake and by taking that pitch out of the pitcher’s hand, it eliminates an element of possible excitement out of the game in exchange for a 0.1% decrease in game time (11.5 seconds divided by the average game time of 3 hours and 24 seconds). It is a change for the sake of change and it eliminates a part of the game while gaining virtually nothing in return. 3. Minor Rule Changes MLB also announced some minor changes, including one stipulating the base coaches remain in their marked boxes, one prohibiting the use of any marker on the field that would create a reference system for fielders, and one outlawing the unorthodox delivery used primarily by San Diego Padres pitcher Carter Capps.