Graduation Tickets for your family and friends are available online at colum.edu/commencement Commentary: Should journalists write for free? See pg. 35
One Tribe starts planning tunnel
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MONDAY, MARCH 18, 2013
VOLUME 48, ISSUE 23
U-Pass rates increase
by Alexandra Kukulka Campus Editor
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THE CHICAGO TRANSIT Authority
has increased U-Pass prices by 32 percent for the fall 2013 semester and beyond for all Chicago colleges because of costs associated with its new Ventra payment system, according to Tim Bauhs, associate vice president of Business Affairs for Student Financial Services. Along with the increase, students will have to pay an additional $5 to obtain the Ventra card, which will replace U-Passes. The decision to increase the student rate comes from the CTA and has “blindsided” the college, according to Bauhs, because the hike was not a part of the CTA’s December 2012 rate increase approvals, as reported by The Chronicle Dec. 3, 2012. The college learned of the increase Feb. 28, the last day the CTA was legally required to inform colleges citywide about the new fare, Bauhs said.
New chair takes reins of board of trustees
Ventra is the CTA’s new payment system effective in summer 2013. It allows customers to pay CTA fares with one refillable card that can also be connected to a card holder’s credit card. With the Ventra system, college students will be able to keep their Ventra card for a year after activation, but the student rate will expire when school is out of session, Bauhs said. With the current U-Pass, students pay 81 cents per day to use public transportation, Bauhs said. After the increase, students will pay $1.07 per day, which is still a discounted rate compared to the standard $2.25 one-way fare for others using the Ventra system, he said. However, CTA passengers who use cash to board public transportation will have to pay $3 for a one-way ride, as announced at a March 13 CTA
by Alexandra Kukulka Campus Editor ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
ganizations, officially petitioned the Irish Consulate to grant Chicago the title, but Aidan Cronin, the Consul General of Ireland, was reluctant to promise anything. Cronin said he would consider the petition but added that he is not sure how to proceed. “I am the Irish Consul General to the United States, but I am a man without power,” Cronin said. “Far be it from me to declare Chicago headquarters of St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. I think my colleagues in Boston, and Atlanta, and San Francisco and New York would have something to say about that.”
RICHARD KIPHART IS officially the new chair of the Columbia board of trustees, as of March 14. Kiphart succeeds Allen Turner, who served three terms, and said he hopes to continue the legacy of Turner and President Warrick L. Carter, who will be retiring in August. Turner said Columbia is lucky to have Kiphart as the next chair of the board because he is a skilled businessman and philanthropist. “I think that [Kiphart’s] skill set will be great for Columbia,” Turner said. “He knows people in the city who are important to us, not only intellectually but financially. I couldn’t be happier. I have been doing this for eight years. It is time for someone else, and there is no one else I would rather have than Kiphart.” Turner announced his resignation at president-elect Kwang-Wu Kim’s forum at the college Feb. 13, as reported by The Chronicle Feb. 14. He said he only agreed to a twoyear third term because he thought he could accomplish the tasks he wanted to complete, like reorganizing the college, in that time. Aside from being a Columbia board member for the last six years, Kiphart works at William Blair & Company, 222 W. Adams St., a global investment banking and asset management company, as the head of private client advisories. According to Kiphart, he has worked for the company for 47 years, starting in institutional sales. Kiphart is also the president of the Lyric Opera, as well as the chairman of the Erikson Institute, a local graduate school that works to improve the care and education of children; Nature Vision, an organization that fosters appreciation and stewardship of the environment through integration of school
xx SEE IRISH, PG. 39
xx SEE KIPHART, PG. 9
xx SEE U-PASS, PG. 9 For more information regarding the Ventra system, see pg. 37.
Photo illustration Marcus Nuccio THE CHRONICLE
ShamROCK shenanigans Irish organization proposes Chicago as U.S. St. Patrick’s Day headquarters by Elizabeth Earl Assistant Metro Editor ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
IF A COALITION of the city’s Irish
Rena Naltsas THE CHRONICLE
2013 South Side Irish Parade Queen Bridget Fitzgerald and Shannon Rovers’ Sergeant Patrick Sullivan attended the event on March 12 at the Old Water Tower on North Michigan Avenue.
CAMPUS
Biggest Mouth lineup • page 6
8
SPORTS & HEALTH
Anti-TB microbes in Great Lakes • page 11
organizations has its way, Chicago will become the official U.S. headquarters for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. But the group probably shouldn’t bet a pot of gold on it. During a March 12 presentation at the Old Water Tower on North Michigan Avenue, the ShamROCK Chicago Council, made up of representatives from the city’s Irish or-
ARTS & CULTURE
Pilsen’s futbol passion • page 22
METRO
CTA changes fare system • page 37
INDEX
Campus .......................................................3 Sports & Health ..........................................11 Arts & Culture ..............................................19 Commentary ..............................................34 Metro ........................................................37