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ndependent Tuesday, August 22, 2017

www.neiuindependent.org

Vol. 37 Issue 1

In the wake of layoffs:

A letter from a former NEIU employee

pg. 13

Opinions Employees take in the news of this year’s layoff process. pg. 2

Check out our Map of NEIU’s main and sister campuses. pg. 10

A&L

The Local Pizzeria is a local spot offering more than just pizza. pg. 18

NEIU unions protest President Helldobler’s layoff action plans on Aug. 9 in the B wing courtyard. There were 41 recent layoffs and 43 others effected. | Photo courtesy of Ellen M. Larrimore

News

Budget crisis continues after bill passes

Photo by Bisma Zafar

Interim President Helldobler announcing the layoff process in late May. About 180 employees were fired, 130 civil service and 50 administrative jobs were cut to save the school $9 million.

By Sarahy Lopez After a two year budget stalemate, Interim President Richard Helldobler announced in July that NEIU will receive a budget.

However, controversy still surrounds NEIU about the saving strategies used before getting appropriation for the fiscal year.

NEIU implemented furlough days to save money during the budget crisis this year.

Faculty and staff received seven weeks of 20 percent furloughs last year, losing the equivalent of a week’s worth of pay to be spread out over a month.

The five days of spring break, April 11 and 12, and May 1st were furloughed days.

Classes were cancelled and employees were suspended for another week’s worth of pay and work.

“The university will pause the furlough program as soon as it is financially able to do so,” Helldobler said during the Board of Trustees meeting in April.

“The university’s end of January national analysis demonstrated the need to save about $8.2 million in order to process general operations and payroll to the end of the fiscal year on June 30

er’s lack of a budget plan, and called on Rauner to fund higher education.

Democratic officials running for governor also attended and spoke out.

J.B. Pritzker insisted that, “There’s only one state worker I want to put out of work and that’s Bruce Rauner!”

State Senator Daniel Biss asked, “Who thinks Bruce Rauner is doing a

“Having to say goodbye to so many people is heartbreaking.”

Richard Helldobler, NEIU’s Interim President

(and) an additional $16.7 million to do so until Sept. 30, unless additional state funding is provided.”

NEIU and other public university students, faculty and staff rallied at Springfield on April 27 to protest Raun-

great job? I can tell you who. Universities in Wisconsin, and Iowa, and Indiana, and Missouri, they think Bruce Rauner is doing a great job – sending our young people out of Illinois.”

Student retention rates in Illinois

were at an all time low, due to the budget crisis and the uncertainty of schools remaining open for the next semester.

Furlough days continued long after the rally, as officials in Springfield failed to pass a state budget Illinois public universities.

Administrative, professional and civil service staff at NEIU had one furlough day each week, and student aides did not work on Mondays and Tuesdays.

The lack of a state budget forced the school to fire 180 employees in May. Helldobler announced the layoffs on day 700 that Illinois has been without a budget.

The school hasn’t received its full appropriation from the state since fiscal year 2015, and layoffs ensued, closing 130 civil service and 50 administrative jobs.

The layoffs saved NEIU about $9 million, which was necessary to stay open

during summer and fall, according to Helldobler and VP of Finance Michael Pierick.

“Having to say goodbye to so many people is heartbreaking,” Helldobler said.

“This is one more result of this 700-day-old budget crisis — a crisis not of our making.”

Helldobler’s first priority was to stay open no matter the costs.

In order to continue offering students affordable education, his fear being that they will not attend college at all if NEIU were to close.

During the town hall budget meeting on July 13, Helldobler announced that a budget plan was approved from the state providing the university about $33.2 million.

Budget Crisis / page 3

www.neiuindependent.org

NEWS

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

3

Budget Crisis Continued from pg. 2

Photo by Bisma Zafar

NEIU staff and community voice their thoughts.

MAP grants were also to be fully funded, and will allow the school to stay open until fiscal year 2018.

During this array of good news, former employees from the university spoke out during the budget town hall meeting, asking whether the layoffs will be rescinded.

Michael Pierick said they had no plans to rehire any of the people that were laid off, and said that layoffs will continue despite the budget.

Currently, the university is still unsure of its future concerning the fiscal year of 2019, and as far as they know, NEIU does not have a budget plan after 2018.

A protest ensued on NEIU’s campus Aug. 9, accompanied by a musical chairs game played by current and former employees to dramatize the layoff and “bumping” process caused by the

closed positions and continuing layoffs.

In a statement from the president Ellen M. Larrimore of American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) she said, “We are devastated by the loss of so many of our co-workers.

The huge disruptions caused by the bumping process will have long-term effects on the processes of the university and on the kind of service to students we’ve always prided ourselves on. The opening of the fall semester will definitely be bumpy, and we can only hope that students will bear with us as we attempt to get up to speed on processes and procedures we may or may not be familiar with or trained on.”

The AFSCME bargaining unit formerly included about 230 civil service employees.

From this group 41 people were laid

off and at least another 43 were transferred to other offices or other areas on campus.

“This is a sad time for us as workers who have always dedicated ourselves to and believed in the mission of the university,” Larrimore said.

“But we must continue to do our jobs to serve the students we care so deeply about who come to NEIU to get an education and earn degrees that will help them support themselves and their families in the future.”

Linda Loew, an employee for six years, received a layoff notice about a week ago.

She mentioned loving NEIU and the students in a letter addressed to the Independent, saying that she is mostly angry at Governor Rauner for “allowing public education to be held hostage” and how that harmed millions of people

and families.

“I also disagree with, and am disappointed in, our university administration that went ahead with these layoffs despite the passage of a budget that so many of us were in the forefront of fighting for,” Loew wrote in her letter.

“We worked hard to demonstrate the absolute necessity for these funds to be released because we understood the extraordinary harm that the absence of these funds was causing.

“I, and all my union sisters and brothers in AFSCME, and many more among the staff at NEIU, believe it is wrong that our positions, and the critical services they provide, are still being axed in light of the budget victory.

I fervently believe that there was, and remains, a better way forward, better for our students and our ability to serve them,” she said.

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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

NEWS

www.neiuindependent.org

The PICO dark matter quest continues Rut Ortiz An NEIU physics professor is on a continued quest to discover dark matter particles, collaborating with fellow scientists and exposing students to research, all in the same trip.

Assistant professor Dr. Orin Harris will travel with three NEIU undergraduate students to Sudbury, Ontario, Canada to a collaboration meeting composed of international participants such as NEIU and the University of Alberta.

Harris gave an explanation as to what constituted dark matter research.

“A birds-eye view is that we think about 80 percent of the matter in the universe is invisible matter,” he said.

“We can observe how it affects regular matter with telescopes.”

Science teaches that regular matter is composed of protons, neutrons, electrons, which creates a substance, or substances, that makeup a physical object and takes up space.

Dark matter is called “dark” because as opposed to matter that reflects light, dark matter is invisible and does not reflect anything.

The existence of dark matter is described on picoexperiment.com, where it says it is present in galaxies because of its gravitational pull.

“We’ve never been able to see it in the laboratory because it interacts very, very rarely with regular matter,” Harris said.

“We wait, sometimes years, to see if very rarely a dark matter particle deposits energy in our detector,” he said.

Dark matter interacts so rarely with regular matter that experiments to detect it have to occur within labs deep underground.

“Most dark matter experiments have very sensitive detectors,” Harris said.

“They are deep underground in order to try and eliminate cosmic rays from reaching them, which would de-

Photo by Dr. Orin Harris

From left to right: Samuel Pate, Patrick Dowdle and Vincent Vangelista. Dr. Orin Harris is going to travel with three students to Canada to research dark matter.

posit energy in the detectors and make a signal that looks like dark matter.”

Detectors not only have to be below

the surface but also have to be in a very quiet environment using a methodology that consists of both superheating

and bubble chamber technology.

The methodologies work simultaneously in that bubble chamber tech-

nology has a fluid that is kept above its boiling point but due to the nature of its container, it does not boil.

The fluid is extremely sensitive to the smallest deposit of energy.

Once energy is deposited, it creates a bubble.

“That’s what we’re looking for, a little bubble produced from dark matter depositing,” Harris said.

“We have cameras that can photograph the bubbles and another neat part of it is that we have little microphones that can listen to the sound of the bubbles.”

Microphones capture the bubbles that form from different types of particle interactions, which in turn produce different levels of loudness.

“That’s actually one of the primary ways we can distinguish a bubble produced from dark matter from a bubble produced from something more mundane like radioactive decay,” Harris said.

Apart from distinguishing a dark matter bubble, Harris and his students will see it in person.

A clean-room laboratory is located 2 kilometers (approximately 1.24 miles) underground and they will have to take a wide elevator to get there while wearing mining gear.

Upon entering the clean-room lab, they will have to shed their mining uniforms and shower.

The bubble chamber is one entity made up of three parts: initially a foot wide, thick, transparent glass vessel filled with superheated liquid, which Harris said is comparable to a 6-foot test tube.

The “test tube” is held in a large, steel pressure vessel and both are housed inside a giant vat of water.

“Going deep underground, it’s like one of those amazing life experiences that hopefully will allow them to share that excitement with other students,” Harris said.

www.neiuindependent.org

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

5

NEIU shuttle program times The NEIU Shuttle program returns—a connection to three Northeastern locations.

Beginning the week of Aug. 29 and running through Dec. 14, the NEIU Shuttle will offer transportation on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between the Main Campus, El Centro and the Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies, plus the Kimball Brown Line CTA station.

NEIU Shuttle schedule: (No shuttle service on Mondays, Fridays, weekends or holidays/breaks)

Join the Independent!

Our meetings are on Tuesdays, 3 - 4 p.m.

E - 049

8 a.m.: Departs Main Campus (from the main entrance of The Nest) 8:15 a.m.: Arrives at Kimball Brown Line station 8:45 a.m.: Arrives/departs from El Centro 10:15 a.m.: Arrives at CCICS 10:30 a.m.: Departs CCICS 11:15 a.m.: Arrives/departs from El Centro 11:45 a.m.: Arrives at Kimball Brown Line station Noon: Arrives at Main Campus (main entrance of The Nest) 2 p.m.: Departs Main Campus (from the main entrance of The Nest) 2:15 p.m.: Arrives at Kimball Brown Line station 2:45 p.m.: Arrives/Departs from El Centro 3:45 p.m.: Arrives at CCICS 4 p.m.: Departs CCICS 5:15 p.m.: Arrives/Departs from El Centro 5:45 p.m.: Arrives at Kimball Brown Line station 6 p.m.: Arrives at Main Campus (main entrance of The Nest) All times are approximate and subject to change. Variable traffic and weather patterns may affect pick-up and drop-off times. Passengers are required to show a valid NEIU ID and fill out an authorization form. Space is limited to six passengers on a first-come, first-served basis. More information is available online or via email at shuttle@neiu.edu.

Additionally, student drivers are needed! Drivers must be current NEIU students, registered for at least six credit hours, have a cumulative GPA of 2.5, have a valid State of Illinois (class D) driver’s license and valid auto insurance. If interested, please send resume to shuttle@neiu.edu.

Police Blotter The following incidents occurred between the dates of July 18 to August 15 at NEIU’s main campus: July 18 - Lech Walesa Hall: An unknown offender wrote political words on sidewalk with chalk. The facilities management cleaned it up.

July 21 - The Nest: A possibly intoxicated person was escorted to their dorm room by police. They refused medical services.

July 25 - Fine Arts Building: There was a verbal altercation between some students during a class. One party requested that the police escort them to their vehicles.

July 25 - NEIU: A non-student reported threatening messages sent to her phone from her ex-partner.

July 26 - B-Building: There were reports of an unknown woman walking through the hallways and talking to herself, alarming several witnesses.

August 11 - 5500 N Kimball Ave: The Police Chief encountered a man high on drugs on the street. The CPD and an ambulance was called.

August 11 - The Nest: A subject was arrested for domestic disturbance with their girlfriend.

August 15 - D-Building: A hallway window was accidentally shattered by a purse. No injuries were reported.

The following incident occurred on August 15 off-campus: August 15 - Off-Campus: A student was inquired on police services in regards to an off-campus incident from 2016.

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Tuesday, August 22, 2017

NEWS

www.neiuindependent.org

Chibo takes Japan: A cat’s travels abraod

The photo journal includes a brief narrative for each picture which features Chibo, Schoen’s feline companion. |

Daniela Arteaga Chibo, a curious feline and beloved companion of Professor William Schoen, takes us on a journey through all of Japan. Together they wander the streets of Kamakura, and have marveled at the snowy top of Mount Fuji.

The photographic journal Travel My Japan is a collection of photos taken

by Professor Schoen, instructor of the Japanese language course and Japanese Culture through Film at NEIU. Schoen lived in Japan for a few years during the 1980s.

He was always captivated by the Japanese culture, but it wasn’t until after high school that he became fascinated with film. He explored Tokyo and other cities in Japan since 2000.

Just four years ago, he began teaching the Japanese Culture through Film course.

For the past 30 years, he has made it a yearly tradition to visit the island.

Even as he spends his time on the other side of the world, Schoen creates unique

experiences every time he returns. The photo journal includes a brief narrative for each picture which features Chibo, Schoen’s feline companion.

With the introductory chapter, there is the explanation of Chibo’s name and meaning. Schoen shares that he missed Chibo while away in Japan.

Thus, he decided to create this exciting opportunity where he would feature him on his travels.

The book captures what’s most interesting about [Japan] as well as spark people’s interest in the Japanese culture,” Prof. Schoen said.

Although there are many apparent differences between the American and Japanese culture, Schoen discusses the Japanese people’s respect for others especially in crowded areas of Tokyo such as the subway.

Japan has been affected with natural disasters for many years and yet, after chaos, its people manage to come together and move on from it. Schoen

also appreciates how relatively safe the country is.

“One of my favorite things to do in Tokyo is just walk around different neighborhoods,” says Schoen.

He also mentions eating some of his preferred Japanese foods such as tempura udon, fish, and pork cutlets.

Another memory includes a visit to a 270-year-old restaurant.

Aside from this fun project, Professor Schoen is working on another book where he explains more over the history of Japan.

This work in progress will also be a photo journal that will focus on images of Tokyo.

Some of the most riveting things about the Japanese culture is its architecture. Schoen plans on showcasing Japan’s traditional side as seen through old buildings and alleyways.

Photos provided by William Schoen

Richard J. Helldobler, Interim President on White Nationalism in Charlottesville: On behalf of our University Community, I condemn in the strongest terms the deadly actions that erupted at the University of Virginia this weekend and stand against radical white supremacy and any ideology that espouses bigotry, hatred, intimidation and violence. These actions are repugnant and do not represent the United States of America.

Because of our deeply held beliefs about equality and our University Value of Diversity, we have an obligation to reject and defeat racism and hatred whenever we see it.

We must work together peacefully to delegitimize those who spread hate and protect those who are the victims of that hatred.

Our thoughts are with those in Charlottesville who died or were injured, and we support those who bravely spoke out against racism there as well as at our own University Community and around the world. Bigotry, hatred, intimidation and violence have no place in a civil society. Let us continue to lead in this area and spread that message every chance we get.* *This message was sent to the NEIU community as a targetted announcement on Aug. 14, 2017. The Independent feels that it's imperative for everyone to read and reread this message from our interim president.

Opinions Letter from a former Editor-in-Chief I am not a shill for the Independent or student activities. This note will not be a plea to join any club or organization.

So why am I writing this besides to fulfill a promise and it’s tradition? Simply, to briefly tell my story.

I am a person who was lost with little to no direction in life. I had a vague idea of what I wanted to be when I grew up.

Then I joined the Independent. Getting involved in any student organization or club is the easiest and best way to hone a craft you may need for future endeavors.

Or, at the very least, it’s a way to get you out of the house with that roommate you’re not getting along with.

I know there are many part-time students with full-time jobs and families to support so free time is scarce. But to the others who have the time: why waste it?

I got to experience more in my two years with the Independent with a group of eccentrics whom I probably wouldn’t have met otherwise. And it’s because of those people we were able to put together the second best college newspaper in the country (as voted on by the Associated College Press).

More importantly, the entire staff of the Independent taught me to a better person. By challenging me, teaching me to empathize and opening my wide, the staff gave me the invaluable tools – you may not necessarily learn in the classroom – to succeed. And for that I sincerely thank them from the bottom of my heart.

In the field, I got to sit and talk to Bulls legend Bob Love, whose No. 10 resides in the United Center rafters next to No. 23.

I got to sit in with bands during WZRD’s Thursday Night Live as they were interviewed on the air. President Sarah Hahs took a half-hour out of her schedule to discuss the budget crisis with me.

I imagine many of you reading this are not into media but there is something for everyone to experience. It’s just a question of wanting to do it.

This is an unorthodox school with an even greater cast of unorthodox students, comprised of those young and old from all walks of life; some even taking advantage of a second or third chance.

Getting involved is just a way to take advantage of these opportunities to kick start their résumés, their careers and gain experience for any job they desire.

Again, I am not advertising on behalf of the school. I’m just a former Editor-in-Chief who is also a proponent for bettering yourself by figuring out what you like to do and doing it, hell, even figuring out what you don’t like is also a way of improving your life.

It’s not always easy. It’s not always fun. But it’s always worth it.

I wish you way more than luck.

Best regards, Brett Starkopf

www.neiuindependent.org

Opinions

9

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

The Independent Trump’s divided, Editorial Board

disheveled America

Editor-in-Chief Robin Bridges News Editor Sarahy Lopez Opinions Editor Cecilia G. Hernandez Arts & Life Editor Bisma Zafar Online Editor Miguel Casimiro Marketing and Advertising Director Christopher Starnawski Payroll Manager Cheryl Johnson

Independent Staff Writers Spencer Jones Brett Starkopf Rut Ortiz Daniela Arteaga 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.

Sarahy Lopez As someone who was born from Mexican immigrants, I’m shocked and angry at the abhorrent actions of the Neo-Nazi groups that descended upon Charlottesville on Aug. 12.

I obsessively followed the news stories that appeared that entire week, and was in utter disbelief, fearing for the safety of the counterprotesters that bravely confronted the Nazi groups. My entire family, my coworkers and my friends were also equally upset.

People were murdered, injured and scarred. It wasn’t just an attack of other beliefs, but physical attacks as well. And it wasn’t just a protest on the removal of an old statue, it went far beyond that. The torch-wielding Neo-Nazis were there to intimidate and cause chaos, and many of them have expressed so on social media.

My parents migrated from Mexico in the hopes of finding an accepting country that would give them better opportunities than where they grew up. My mother’s hometown did not have flushing toilets, and my father grew up in an area where children were placed to work almost as soon as they learned to walk and talk. My parents went through so many hardships that me and my younger brother could only imagine.

There was no way they wanted that life for us, so they worked hard and used their life savings to move to the United States. It took them years to become legal residents, they were even involved in a scam where an immigration lawyer stole thousands of dollars from them, but they eventually became legal residents and I was born a U.S. citizen.

ADVENTURE

SPORTS

I didn’t realize how much my parents sacrificed until my mother took me to visit Mexico, where she grew up in Veracruz. I saw thirdworld poverty for the first time in my life and that’s when it hit me: my parents spared us this life. We were lucky, luckier than most of my cousins and relatives who remained FREE access for currently enrolled students! in Mexico.

“Give me your tired, your poor, neiucampusrec neiucampusrec your huddled masses yearning to NEIU Campus Recreation breathe free, the wretched refuse of VISIT OUR WEBSITE @: https://www.neiu.edu/university-life/campus-recreation your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I learned this phrase before any nursery rhymes.

After Charlottesville, I no longer felt safe in my skin. Everything I learned growing up, remembering how my parents praised living here, made it even more disturbing to witness the alt-right’s weekend assault ™ across every TV screen or news channel.

American’s complex and long history of racism, violence and hate toward minority groups was as clear as it can be on the streets of Charlottesville. This is something that no longer can be ignored or looked over.

But hearing from all my friends and family and their support toward each other, I know that love can overcome the hate that boiled up over the past week. I still continue to believe that good will overcome the bad, as long as we all stand united against it. We can’t allow this country to become Trump’s disheveled, divided America.

FITNESS/WELLNESS

AQUATICS

WHERE

FRESH & FAST MEET

WE DELIVER!

VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM TO FIND A LOCATION NEAR YOU

TUESDAY, AUGUST 22, 2017

10

Northeastern Illinois University’s Main Campus Fine Arts Center (FA) Practice Spaces Year Round Art Exhibits Recital Hall Artisan Workshops

LWH

F E FA

PS

Child Care Center (CC) Athletic Field (AF) Tennic Courts (TC) Facilities Managment (FM) Grounds Maintenance (GM)

LIB

SU

The Nest BBH

J WTTW

Parking Structure (PS) Parking Office Campus Police Temporary Parking Passes

CCC sA ve nu e

Physical Education Complex (PE) Exercise Center Pool Climbing Wall Ropes Course Showers/Lockers Basketball Courts

PE

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Ronald Williams Library (LIB) Learning Support Center Trio Teacher Resources Media Resource Center Decartes Cafe Copy Center Computer labs Student Conference

Rooms Reserved Textbooks Chicago Archives

Student Union (SU) Comfy Couches Quiet Study Room with a view Alumni Hall Cafeteria Peace Garden (Outside)

Sa in tL

Science Building (BBH) College of Arts and Sciences Green House Labs Computer Lab Study Areas Vending Machines Microwave Water Fountains

AF TC CG

Fo ste rA ven ue

W

N

S

E

Building C (Sachs Administration) Academic Affairs Affirmative Action Office of the President Student Affairs Building D Adult and Women Students’ Program Counseling Financial Aid Student Employment Vertans’ Affairs

LWH

F E

Lech Walesa Hall (LWH) Computer Lab Academic Advisors Study Abroad Coordinators Lecture Hall Rented Student Lockers Proyecto Pa’Lante Technology Services Daniel Goodwin College of Education

NEIU’s El Centro Campus 3390 N. Avondale Ave.

Br yn Mawr Avenu e

SU

Sa in tL

ou i

s

BBH

COBM Academic Advising Accessibility Center Foreign Language Lab Student Support Services College of Business and Management Building B Computer Lab Dean of Students Honors Program International Program Nontraditional Degree Programs Placement Office Student Leadership Development Student Government Angelina Pedroso Center Career Services Building E Independent Office Auditorium Bookstore Health Service/First Aid WZRD Radio Student Lounge Decartes Cafe Village Square Infomation Center Building F (Stage Center Theatre)

First Floor Library Resource Center Computer Labs Student Lounge

Third Floor Coffee Lounge Outdoor Terrace

Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) Campus 700 E. Oakwood Blvd.

First Floor Student Conference Room Coffee & Hot chocolate Machine Third Floor Admissions Financial Aid Student Services Fifth Floor Learning Support Center Computer Lab Sixth Floor Library

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Tuesday, August, 2017

Opinions

www.neiuindependent.org

Student’s reflection on waiting for college

Photo courtesy of Spencer Jones

(Left) Spencer Jones served as a mock panelist for WYCC’s “The Professors” host auditions. (Right) Jones conducted intervies as an intern for WYCC’s “In The Loop.”

Spencer Jones College isn’t for everyone, though there are statistics that show people with a higher education are more likely to generate more revenue over their lifetime. Being someone that’s on the tail end of completing their secondary education, I have regretted most of it.

Coming out of high school in 2009 as the class president and ranked in the top 10 from an academic level, I wasn’t ecstatic about going to college.

Most of my teachers in the Chicago Public School system couldn’t keep my attention with the subpar and patronizing curriculum they presented. I’ve always been a person that believed an education isn’t everything. After my high school graduation, I was prepared to work

so I travelled and lived in different states. I lived as frugal as possible so I could save money while seeing the country until I knew where I wanted to take my life.

Two of the main issues I see with jumping straight into college is wasting time and money not knowing what you want to study.

I’ve had classmates that were excited to go away for college but were forced to come back home after a few semesters because of the cost of living in a dorm and lack of state funding.

I didn’t want that and I accepted that fate beforehand.

I, like most of my classmates, lived in poverty and the idea of putting money to the side for college wasn’t my reality. To add to the lack

of financial security, we were unprepared and uninformed on how to be ready for the college curriculum.

Something else that added to this equation was the the fact that most of us were going to be the first person in our households to receive a college education, causes us to fail in most cases.

I didn’t want to fail.

I researched and spoke with everyone that I could before enrolling in college. At the age of 21, three years after graduating from high-school, I enrolled into a community college to save money on general education classes.

While at the two year school, I kept in contact with the two universities I was considering attending once

my associate’s degree was obtained.

At the same time, I was building my freelance portfolio in the broadcast media field.

Waiting to graduate to start seeking experience no longer works.

If you have nothing to show to employers, besides a piece of paper with a section that shows you participated in a social club you won’t stand out.

My philosophy is that you could either wait and start at the entry-level position once you graduate, or start at the entry-level position while still in school and graduate with a probable chance of getting a better position.

Don’t go to college just to say that you went and have nothing else to do.

Don’t go to college if you know it’s not for you.

There are careers in this country that have great financial upside with no degree required. Don’t fall for the notion that after you finish high school, you must go straight to college. A few decades ago that might’ve been true. If you have the work ethic and drive to build a diverse financial portfolio on your own, do so first.

Questions, concerns, or do you have a desire to write an Opinion piece? Contact us! neiuopseditor@gmail. com

www.neiuindependent.org

Opinions

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

13

A Passionate Letter from a former NEIU Employee I am heartbroken to report receiving a layoff notice this morning from Northeastern Illinois University. NEIU has been my workplace and my home away from home for nearly 6 years.

I have loved serving the students at this wonderful university, from which I received my own Bachelor of Science degree in 1997.

The overwhelming majority of our students come from modest or limited means, just as many of our staff, and have pursued careers and their dreams at NEIU. I am especially angry at Governor Rauner for allowing public higher education to be held hostage during the unprecedented budget crisis that went on for over two years, harming millions of working people and families in Illinois, and doing irreparable damage to the lives of hard working people.

I also disagree with, and am disappointed in, our university administration that went ahead with these layoffs despite the passage of a budget that so many of us were in the forefront of fighting for. We worked hard to demonstrate the absolute necessity for these funds to be released because we understood the extraordinary harm that the absence of these funds was causing.

I, and all my union sisters and brothers in AFSCME, and many more among the staff at NEIU, believe it is wrong that our positions, and the critical services they provide, are still being axed in light of the budget victory.

I fervently believe that there was, and remains, a better way forward, better for our students and our ability to serve them.

Ultimately, I am angry at our system which has allowed a few billionaires to put the immense wealth and profits of a few over the absolute rights and dire needs of our entire population. With each passing day, we see the acceleration of the disinvestment in public education, which is a human and civil right, and a cornerstone of a supposedly democratic society. I believe that the very thing that brought me and so many to public higher education in the first place is in serious jeopardy of being lost in our society, downsized or “right-sized� out of existence.

Every blow to the public domain is a blow far beyond one individual or university, and despite our individual fates, we will all need to band together to make sure no more damage is done, and try to regain the ground we have lost.

I have many highlights to remember with pleasure and satisfaction: collaborative teams among co-workers, and within the union, a sense of something better in the world to which we are all connected and that still imagines a brighter future, one that serves and celebrates the next generation, and employs us in the process.

I still adhere to that vision because it is the only hope for the masses of humanity: to mobilize to serve the many without great wealth, and not to concede to the few whose wealth serves only them, not us.

If I occasionally seem a tad quieter in the immediate days and weeks ahead, as I adjust to my own new situation, know that I remain fully committed to defending the right to public education for all.

I am committed to the mission of NEIU, as an alumna, as a laid off worker, and as a proud member and leader of AFSCME Local 1989 at NEIU. I will continue to champion the work and the causes of my AFSMCE union sisters and brothers as well as the rights of all working people throughout our state and nation.

I salute all the wonderful co-workers among the faculty and staff who work tirelessly at NEIU and all over Illinois. The cause of justice is still on OUR side, and I hope one day soon we will prevail. Without this fight for justice, there can be no peace.

In solidarity, down for the moment, but not out!

Linda

Have something to share?

Submit your letters to the Editor to NEIUOpsEditor@gmail.com

Photos courtesy of Ellen Larrimore and Linda Loew

A&L

In the neighborhood: The Local Pizzeria Photos by Bisma Zafar

Bisma Zafar If you’re looking for local places to eat, check out The Local Pizzeria.

It is a nice place to eat that’s a short walk from the main campus. It’s signature “slice of pie” sign is currently down but it is open for business.

It’s a low key restaurant located on Foster near the Kimball intersection.

It was ranked the 25th best pizza

by Chicago Magazine in 2015.

They have a wide selection of intriguing pizzas available: from hawaiian (smoked mozzarella, canadian bacon, pineapple) to vegan (roasted red pepper cashew sauce, garlic oil, spinach, and choice of 3 vegetables), but one of the best options for a quick bite are their pizza-by-the-slice offerings.

You can choose from cheese, vegetarian, pepperoni or sausage.

I tried the cheese pizza-by-theslice. It was reheated in the pizza oven but tasted very fresh and was almost too hot to eat for a couple minutes. It was similar to a greasy New York style pizza, but not quite.

It was mostly a thin crust pizza but it was uneven with a small part too crisp to eat and another part that was a little thick but the slice was a decent size and everything in between was absolutely delicious. As a thin-crust pizza lover, I was happy with the pizza overall.

The ambiance inside the restaurant was slow paced and comfortable; it gives off a fun, hipster vibe with the Albany Park map wallpaper, Edison lightbulbs, and a powder blue

bike hanging off the wall. There’s also Wi-Fi for customers and comfy booths with individual outlets for studying or hanging out with friends.

The staff were friendly and the service was quick.

It was less than a couple minutes between ordering and the pizza arriving to my table.

However, this may have been because it was a slow Saturday afternoon.

If you’re planning on stopping by, keep in mind that they have a $10 minimum for cards.

I will definitely be returning here to have another slice of pizza. After browsing through their website, I found out The Local Pizzeria has brunch available with Nutella crepes, which I’m very excited to try next.

The Local Pizzeria is located at 3352 W. Foster Ave and is open everyday until 10 pm.

www.neiuindependent.org

A&L

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

“Man vs. Rock”: What the Rock?

Photos by Robin Bridges

Do not buy this book at manvsrock.com for $20, and definetely do not buy volumes 5 through 7.

Miguel Casimiro Have you ever started reading a book and stopped to wonder “What am I reading? Why am I reading this?” Well, “Man vs Rock” is one of those books.

The weird comic book at first glance makes you wonder, what is in this book that makes it so interesting to pick up. The cover of the book shows a unique cover of a man bombing the structure of Mount Rushmore.

The book follows Buck Stone, a professor of geology and in his quest to tell the world about rocks turning against the humans. The series of events in the book follows Stone on this twisted journey of telling people about the evil of rocks and in the end

fights back against the rocks. The collected first 4 volumes are crazy.

The mayhem continues in volume five through seven that are available online at manvsrock.com.

The book is a head scratcher and it tends to send the reader down of rabbit hole of events that are ridiculously funny tied in with explicit language and photos. The writing isn’t great but the illustrations kept me reading.

The books tend to come upon a lot of nonsense, but it’s the good form of it. It wraps the reader’s mind because of the characters that are presented. The characters are all a mix bag and they are all completely lost. Geology Professor Buck Stone works at the Robert E. Lee University of Northern Aggression in New York

City. Buck Stone was my favorite because he simply does not give a F*#@.

Reading the book made me think hard on what I was reading and it’s not a good comic book. Reading the comic made me lose a couple of brain cells by the end. I will say this, the only interesting parts are the way the illustrations are placed. The illustrations really lay out the book, but overall, it’s not a good book.

The author really threw out a storm of ideas that don’t make any sense, but I would give him a thumbs up with the illustrations.

Overall, I would not recommend this book at all. Save your money.To the author I say, map out the ideas before making any moves on the next issue.

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A&L

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

www.neiuindependent.org

Takashi Murakami: ‘The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg’ Miguel Casimiro An otherworldly experience awaits Museum of Contemporary Art visitors in a summer exhibition called “Takashi Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg.” Enter the world of Takashi Murakami, a place where the happiness and pain of his life are explored through his art.

The exhibit demonstrates the striking evolution of Murakami’s art over the last three decades.

Murakami was born in Tokyo, Japan.

From a very young age he was a fan of manga, a Japanese style of art that mirrors cartoon shows and comics in the United States.

In 1993, he received his Ph.D from Tokyo University of Arts in Nihonga: the study of traditional art technique.

After he received his degree, Murakami debuted a piece called “Time Bokan,” one of his first works that dealt with nuclear war and its impact on society in World War II. The “Time Bokan” is a huge image of a cloudlike mushroom depicting a skull.

The inspiration for this art piece is a tribute to both Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

In the catalog “The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg,” Murakami describes the aftermath of the bomb-

Photo Miguel Casimiro

“And Then, And Then, And Then, and Then, and Then” (Red), 1996 (top) A series of paintings with similar compostion phased out through time. Murakami names this face “Mr. DOB”. “Cherry Blossomas,” 1998 (bottom) the work mirroring the idea of expressionism. Modeling his style after Jackson Pollock. |All photos taken by Miguel Casimiro

ing and how he started to question society’s responsibility for what happened.

These events continued to inspire his work through various stages of his life.

Murakami’s next wave of art, Mr. DOB, was the creation of an alter ego.

Created in the figurative image of Murakami, Mr. DOB is a cross creation between two popular characters in Japan and the centerpiece of Murakami’s new works.

One of these characters was Doraemon, a famous manga character, and the other was Sonic the Hedgehog, a famous video character brought to life

by Sega video games.

Mr. DOB gave way for Murakami to express himself through this character and one of his first pieces that became recognized internationally.

At the Museum of Contemporary Art, “The Octopuses Eats Its Own Leg” exhibition is being displayed, demonstrating Murakami’s works from the beginning to the current period.

Several visitors have described the exhibit to be “out of this world.

MCA / page 17

For more reviews like this check us out online at NEIUIndependent.org

A&L

www.neiuindependent.org

MCA / page 16

Museum visitor Camilla Rivera said, “I feel good. I can go outside and eat the world right now just because the images are empowering.”

Another patron, Yumiko Mannarelli, said she “really like(s) the cherry blossoms.

In the explanation, he took the styles of Jackson Pollock and used the style to transform a traditional Japanese silk painting, screen painting. I am Japanese and I like that.”

Murakami’s work does give a sense of how the imagination and pain of life can be captured through one’s art.

I would recommend this exhibit because it makes you step outside the boundaries of art and welcomes you into the view of how the artists expressions are placed on the canvas.

This exhibit is being held at the Museum of Contemporary Art through September 24.

(On the left, from the top) “Kanye West Graduation Album”. “Of Chinese Lions, Peonies, Skulls, and Fountains”, 2011. “Time Bokan”, 1993.

(On the right, from the top) “The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg”, 2017. “Kanye Bear”, 2009. “Infinity”, 2008. |All photos taken by Miguel Casimiro

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

17

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Welcome to the Independent Campus Calendar Find out which events are happening, where and when. This calendar is for events happening on any of NEIU’s four campuses as well as off campus events hosted by NEIU clubs, organizations, alumni, departments and staff.

Don’t see your event? Submit your event to NEIUIndependentOnlineEditor@gmail.com . Subject line: Independent Events Campus Calendar.

| August 2017 | Nuevas Voces Playwriting Contest

August 4 - November 3 Main Campus Price- $15 Description Nuevas Voces at NEIU 10-Minute Playwriting Contest and Festival $500 in Prizes! Winning plays to be performed January 26-27, 2018 at NEIU’s Stage Center Theatre Entry Deadline: November 3, 2017

Chicago Film Society- Last of the Comanches

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August 23 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm CDT Main Campus (Auditorium) E-Building LAST OF THE COMANCHES Directed by Andre de Toth • 1953 • 35mm

New Honors Student Orientation

August 24 @ 10:00 am - 1:00 pm CDT Main Campus Orientation for New honors Students

7v7 Intramural Flag Football registration

August 25 - September 28 Online (NEIU PE Complex), Online Registration The game is divided into four 10 minute periods. The intermission between halves will be three (3) minutes. Teams should report to the Intramural Staff at least fifteen minutes prior to their scheduled game time. Gametime is forfeit time.

Outdoor BBQ and Produce Sale

August 25 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm CDT Main Campus, University Commons Price- $6 To celebrate the warm weather, Student Union, Event and Conference Services and A’viands will be hosting a Grill Out and Produce Sale outside on Thursday, June 22 from 11:00a.m. to 2p.m. in the University Commons.

Calendar Continued from 19

2017 Biennial Juried Alumni Art Exhibition

August 28 - September 29 NEIU Fine Arts Gallery, Main Campus 2017 Biennial Juried Art Alumni Exhibition August 28th-September 29th

Thursday Night Live – Bunny

August 28 @ 10:00 pm - 11:00 pm CDT WZRD, Main Campus, E-050 Thursday Night Live: Every Thursday night at 10:00pm, WZRD welcomes a new live band to the station to play a set. In true freeform fashion, artists of all types can be heard — bluegrass, hip hop, experimental, indie rock, punk rock, local bands, touring bands, you name it. You never know who you’ll hear on the Wizard.

Chicago Film Society- Gold Diggers of 1935

August 30 @ 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm CDT Main Campus (Auditorium) E-Building GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 Directed by Busby Berkeley • 1935 • 35mm

Thursday Night Live – Impossible!!!

August 31 @ 8:00 am - 5:00 pm CDT WZRD, Main Campus, E-050 Thursday Night Live: Every Thursday night at 10:00pm, WZRD welcomes a new live band to the station to play a set. In true freeform fashion, artists of all types can be heard — bluegrass, hip hop, experimental, indie rock, punk rock, local bands, touring bands, you name it. You never know who you’ll hear on the Wizard. Tune in this Thursday for some live music!

| September 2017 | Job Fair

September 7 @ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm CDT Northeastern Illinois Alumni Hall, Main Campus Job fair is being presented at the Northeastern Illinois University main campus. If you are need of a Job, please come.

Don’t see your event? Submit your event to NEIUIndependentOnlineEditor@gmail.com.

Subject line: Independent Events Campus Calendar.

Join the Independent and don’t become a reporter

Ashley Campbell - Former Arts and Life Editor Okay, so I’m obviously not trying to discourage anyone from following their dreams of becoming the next big name in print media, but I am tired of hearing students dismiss their interest in the Independent because they “don’t want to be a writer” when they grow up.

School newspapers shouldn’t only be valued by aspiring journalists. Whether you’re an accounting major, marketing guru, or soon-tobe gym teacher, working for a school newspaper will grant you a set of skills that can be applied to an array of professions in any given industry.

Prior to graduating and leaving the Independent, I accepted a position with a child development program as their marketing coordinator. I thought to myself, “What the hell are you doing?”

I knew nothing about marketing, let alone how to market to parents, and hadn’t a clue as to how children operate. But, my future employer didn’t care about any of that because they hired a former newspaper editor.

duction staff at the Independent coming up with last-minute fill-ins and creative additions to the upcoming issue. Not to mention outlining pitches for my writers to take with them to the next issue.

“I Can Do It” Attitude:

Photo provided by Ashley Campbell

Lil’ Kickers Chicago is a child development program that uses soccer to build physical and cognitive skills in children 18 months to 9 years old. (2014)

Writing: As a newspaper editor, you write a lot of emails. I mean, a lot. You’re staying in touch with your writers and updating your production staff.

You’re tracking down sources and following up with interview subjects.

You’re often arranging meetings with people you don’t know, supporting a writer who may be struggling

with a pitch or smoothing over a misunderstanding with administration.

My ability to write easily understood messages to my co-workers and partnering organizations has proven to be an invaluable tool. People trust and appreciate a clear and concise message exchange.

As marketing coordinator, I’m also required to prepare social media messages and develop email

Independent editors travel to San Francisco to compete, win and learn how to take their skills into after college life.

campaigns. Before the Independent, drafting a simple message to a client would have sent me into a panic attack, but now, I can pump out 3-5 emails in under 20 minutes.

Ideas: A newspaper is a team of sheer creativity. Ideas are being generated to keep things current and fresh, solutions are developed, and hopefully, thoughtful and informative content is being produced.

Immersing yourself in an environment like that keeps you on your toes. Your mind is on the edge of its seat.

My boss stopped by my desk one day and said, “Hey. I want a blog.

Let’s figure out how to do that,” to which I replied, “Okay!” but in my head I was like, “?!?!?!?!?!”

I didn’t know the first thing about creating a blog. Let alone what a child development blog should be like. But, I knew that all I had to do was pool together a couple of co-workers to help bounce my thoughts off of and – BOOM! We had five decent ideas on his desk a day and a half later.

I spent countless nights with my writers, fellow editors and pro-

Writing and creativity aside, the Independent provided me with a space to fail, to learn and to fail again. The Independent isn’t perfect and neither are college students.

Learning that you won’t always get things right the first time, or that you may need to scrap an idea and start from scratch are important before entering the work force. Because guess what…you’re going to make mistakes out there, too. Only when those mistakes happen, you’ll have the confidence to try again and not walk away because you’ll have a time when it totally worked out to look back and reflect on.

I could write 1,000 more words crediting the Independent for how well I’m doing at my current job, but my hope is that NEIU students see some value in the ones I’ve mentioned above, and maybe even consider checking out a meeting.

I’m not a novelist. I’m not writing for the Tribune or even freelancing (yet), but I’m 24 years old and managing content and promotional efforts for a company that has a dozen locations across the city of Chicago. And, most importantly, I love it.

Isn’t that what we all want when we graduate anyway?

Find out more about us at Student Involvment Fair on September 5 and 6.