The Chronicle, February 4, 2019

PAGE 3: President Kim admits Columbia has “failed” at increasing enrollment

PAGE 14: Proposed Red Line station moved due to “intrusive” location

PAGE 7: Women celebrate Galentine’s Day with community and charity PAGE 12: EDITORIAL: Religious diversity on campus must be protected Volume 54, Issue 17

February 4, 2019

ColumbiaChronicle.com

Too Cool For School

» MOLLY WALSH MANAGING EDITOR CHICAGO GAVE ANTARCTICA a run for its money last week for title of Coldest Place on Earth. Temperatures Jan. 30 dropped to minus 23 degrees, breaking the previous record of minus 15 set in 1966. In comparison, the record for lowest temperatures at Antarctica’s Signy Research Station is minus 38.7 degrees.

Columbia closed Jan. 30 and 31 due to the low temperatures. The college took steps » HALIE PARKINSON/CHRONICLE

when it reopened Friday to check building systems and pipes as well as classroom temperatures, according to a Feb. 1 email statement from Facilities, Operations and Engineering.

Although Columbia was closed, many were not able to hibernate the cold away with a blanket or a cup of hot chocolate.

Senior multimedia journalism major Ria Dockerty had to go to work Wednesday morning at Colectivo Coffee in Lincoln Park.

“I walked outside, and my hands went numb within the first 30 seconds,” she said.

“I only had to be at work from 9 a.m.–3 p.m., but the point is that I shouldn’t have had to be there at all.”

Senior biophysics major at Loyola University Chicago Adrianna Diviero works at the Halas Recreation Center on campus as an outdoor experience facilitator. Although she was off during the Polar Vortex, some of her co-workers still had to go in.

“There should have been some kind of alternative form of transportation if they were going to keep the building open, just for the workers ... to prevent people from

going out in the cold because they need [to] work,” Diviero said.

A polar vortex is a large area of low pressure and cold air surrounding both of the Earth’s poles, according to Summer Diab, a 2017 broadcast journalism alumna who was most recently working as a weather anchor for WEAU 13 News in Wisconsin.

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for additional reporting. mwalsh@columbiachronicle.com

editor’s note

Most memorable moments from the Polar Vortex MANAGEMENT

» ARIANA PORTALATIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITORS

T

he U.S. experienced record-breaking, sub-zero temperatures over the past week, which led to a multitude of business and school closures and quite a few occurrences that elicited a wide range of emotions: happiness, empathy, confusion and even astonishment.

The Polar Vortex, which swept through most of the U.S., but most widely through the Midwest, caused the Chicago River to freeze over and even Columbia’s campus to close Jan. 30 and 31. The dangerous temperatures led to the deaths of at least 16 people from multiple states, and at least 50 people were treated for frostbite at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, according to a Feb. 1 CNN article.

While freezing temperatures and dangerous weather are nothing new to Chicago, there are always unique stories that emerge. In no particular order, here are some of the most memorable moments from the 2019 Polar Vortex: 1. Chicagoans take care of city’s homeless population: Good samaritans stepped up to give a helping hand to those in need during some of the coldest days. In addition to the multiple warming shelters established citywide, one anonymous person paid for 70 homeless people to stay in a hotel on the South Side for several days, after a camp near the Willis Tower was cleared by city responders, according to a Jan. 31 Chicago Tribune article.

2. Frost quakes: Those who were brave enough to go outside in sub-zero weather may have been alarmed to hear loud booming and cracking noises that seemingly came from nowhere. However, those sounds were actually frost quakes. Also known as “cryoseisms,” these occurrences happen when rapid temperature dips cause rock or soil to suddenly burst rather than slowly expand like they normally do in cold weather. According to a Jan. 31 USA Today article, these quakes can cause loud booming sounds 2 THE CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Ariana Portalatin Blaise Mesa Molly Walsh Zack Jackson Micha Thurston

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AD & BUSINESS MANAGER

REPORTERS

comparable to gunshots and pos

sible shaking.

NEWS EDITOR REPORTERS

Miranda Manier Bridget Ekis Knox Keranen Kendall Polidori Katherine Savage Yasmeen Sheikah Kaci Watt Alexandra Yetter Jay Berghuis

OPINIONS EDITOR

COPY COPY CHIEF COPY EDITORS

Kristen Nichols Eden Bunna Margaret Smith

3. Lakefront rollerblading: Although many people chose to stay inside while the windchill in Chicago dipped to nearly minus

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS 50 Jan. 31, one man was recorded rollerblading along the lakefront

on the North Side. Not just rollerblading, but rollerblading with nothing else on except shorts and of us are SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR a hat. Although many

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS wondering who he is and why he

decided to go rollerblading during one of the coldest days on record for Chicago, he has yet to be identified.

4.

Water challenge: A fun and

GRAPHICS Patrick Casey Grace Senior Shane Tolentino Fernanda Weissbuch

PHOTOGRAPHY Mike Rundle Ignacio Calderon Steven Nunez Halie Parkinson Orlando Pinder Patrick Reponse

MULTIMEDIA

VIDEOGRAPHERS

Ethan Sandock Alex White

widely known science trend came back into the spotlight during the Polar Vortex as people recorded videos of themselves throwing

MEDIA SALES REPS pots of boiling water into the frigid air to see what happens. The

BRAND MANAGER result is water freezing mid-air and turning into small snow and

ice particles that then fall to the ground. While it’s been done many WEBMASTER times in previous years, it’s always fun to watch online.

5. Fired-up rail tracks: Public

transportation companies were

forced to use fire to warm up tracks and keep them from freezing over during the sub-zero temperatures. While the tracks are not actually on fire, the illusion made for cool photos and a lot of curiosity from onlookers.

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All text, photos and graphics are the property of The Chronicle and may not be reproduced or published without written permission.

Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of The Chronicle.

Columns are the opinions of the author(s).

Views expressed in this publication are those of the writer and are not the opinions of The Chronicle, Columbia’s Communication Department or Columbia College Chicago.

Letters to the editor must include full name, year, major and phone number. All letters are edited for grammar and may be cut due to a limit of space.

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What is the future of Columbia’s graduate programs? » Columbia Chronicle.com/Multimedia

Kim on enrollment: ‘We’ve taken it on the chin’ COLUMBIA IS NEARLY half the size it was 10 years ago, but President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim and Vice President of Enrollment Management Michael Joseph introduced a 5-year plan Jan. 29 to get enrollment back up to 8,000 students.

Columbia’s total enrollment during Fall 2018 was 6,825 students.

Kim opened the presentation, held at 1104 S. Wabash Ave., with a brief history of the college’s enrollment and retention struggles over the past several years.

Kim attributed the decline in enrollment in part to admissions moving “from a processing function to an intentional recruitment and selection function.”

Kim chronicled the college’s change in recruitment strategies as a “failed experiment.”

Despite that, he said, “We’ve taken it on the chin; we’ve tightened our belts; we’ve done all the things we needed to do to keep the college stable and still deliver a quality education to our students. ... “... For the first time, I am 100 percent confident we can do this,” Kim said. “We can actually begin regrowing.”

Since Kim’s start at Columbia in 2013, total enrollment has dropped about 33 percent.

Joseph, who Kim called a “turnaround artist,” joined the college in summer 2017 and is implementing strategies to try and increase enrollment.

» MIKE RUNDLE/CHRONICLE

» BRIDGET EKIS STAFF REPORTER

“Talking about enrollment growth when you haven’t had enrollment growth in over 10 years is always a little daunting for someone in my position,” Joseph said.

Joseph added that the college has plans to be more generous with financial aid packages; launch a new marketing strategy; better use analytics to understand students who best fit Columbia; introduce new academic programs; and combine existing undergraduate programs with graduate programs.

According to the presentation, Columbia’s current discount rate The college has seen drastic enrollment declines over the past decade, with numbers falling by nearly half. President and is 32 percent of tuition CEO Kwang-Wu Kim and VP of Enrollment Management Michael Joseph are hoping to turn that around with new initiatives. while the national average sits at 50 percent. institution. It has always morphed and What’s Next” is the concept the marketing “We can’t have families borrowing as changed to meet changing demands, team is currently planning to set in place much money as they have in the past,” careers and industries,” Marshall said. this spring.

Joseph said.

“When change takes place, you do see Joseph also said the college is Historically, change like this is not things like enrollment changing a little expecting to increase the number of new to Columbia, according to Head bit over time as well.” academic programs for incoming stuof Archives and Special Collections Associate Professor in Art and Art dents, as well as work toward linking Heidi Marshall, who attended the History Melissa Potter said the enrollexisting undergraduate programs with presentation. ment drop mirrored exactly what was graduate programs.

“Columbia has never been a static happening in her classroom.

“I’m a big believer in new programs This observation was commensurate that bring students in with a notion that with other programs throughout the colthey’re going to stay for five years and get lege, Potter said. their master’s degree while they’re here,” With applications and enrollment down, Joseph said.

Potter noticed that certain classes would New academic programs would be not fill. introduced around 2022, according to “The faculty worked without rest for Joseph, and the goal is to gradually add five years to figure out how to combine them into the current system. classes and re-write the curriculum so Kim stressed his commitment to we actually had classes where there would the college’s new enrollment plan and be students,” Potter said. noted he is under contract until 2024, as Solutions to increase the number of reported Oct. 25 by The Chronicle. students at Columbia include guaranKim referenced speculation as to teed admissions programs and becom- why his contract was renewed and ing more transfer-student-friendly, as said the main reason was his comreported Jan. 28 by The Chronicle. mitment to witness the success of his Kim said during the Higher Learning enrollment strategy.

Commission’s visit in November, it “I want to see this through,” Kim said. “I reported the current enrollment decline want to be here to be able to look you all is “fairly typical for many institutions in in the eyes to see we did it.” the Midwest.”

A second aspect to Joseph’s plan is to launch a new marketing initiative. “Shape bekis@columbiachronicle.com FEBRUARY 4, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 3

campus

College students struggle to afford food, federal report says » KATHERINE SAVAGE STAFF REPORTER

» SHANE TOLENTINO/CHRONICLE

AS TUITION RISES, many college students struggle to afford basic necessities, such as food.

A December 2018 report by the United States General Accountability Office analyzed data from 2016 and concluded that millions of students who are eligible for federal assistance

that could help get them access to food, such as the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, are not receiving it.

To help ease this burden, many schools, including Columbia, have installed on-campus food pantries within the last few years.

Columbia’s food pantry is located in the Student Life office, 623 S. Wabash Ave., in Suite 307.

The pantry is connected to

the College and University Food Bank Alliance, a campus-based program that focuses on helping students with food insecurity.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place, partners with City Colleges of Chicago to set up food pantries. The University of Illinois at Chicago and Northeastern Illinois University also partner with the food distribution agency, according to Greg Trotter, a spokesperson for the depository.

“I’ve talked to graduate students, homeowners [and] working families, all needing food assistance,” Trotter said. “There’s no shame in seeking out help. Your focus should be on your studies, not on how to feed yourself or your family.”

These on-campus food pantries are also available to staff and faculty members.

The Music Center at Columbia College Chicago 1014 S. Michigan Avenue

M u s i c

D e p a r t m e n t

Wednesday February 6 Wednesday Noon Guitar Concert Series at the Conaway

People often have to decide between paying a heating bill and buying groceries. The depository tries to keep donors engaged after the holiday season because that is when people need it the most, according to Trotter.

“The holiday giving kind of peaks, and then it just trails off,” Trotter said. “We try to keep the attention there to help people in those difficult situations.”

Freshman audio design and production major Andre Donaldson said people should not be ashamed of using the food pantry because everyone has difficulties.

“Ask those who do have [food] to see if they can help and give more supplies to the food pantry,” Donaldson said. “A lot of people do need it, and I don’t think enough people give.”

Junior early childhood education major Karina Munoza said having the food pantry on campus makes it easier for students to donate and receive food.

“I have a lot of goods in my pantry that I don’t even use,” Munoz said.

“Instead of going out of my way to

go and find a location that I could donate to, I’m already on campus.”

Munoz said the college should emphasize volunteering and helping others because there are plenty of people who need it in the Chicago area. “[We should be] talking about it more and letting it be known that it’s OK to [get] help. The reason people don’t talk about it a lot is because they think people will judge them,” Munoz said. “We’re working with low-income neighborhoods, and sometimes a child might not have enough to eat. It’s important that we give those kinds of resources to families.”

There are several resources to help those in need, including the “Find Food” search engine on the Greater Chicago Food Depository website, Trotter said.

“There’s nothing wrong with asking for help,” Trotter said. “You shouldn’t feel ashamed, especially as you’re trying to get your education and move [on] to greater things in life.” ksavage@columbiachronicle.com

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‘Death by Dying’ passes on to Top 150 Podcasts » BLAISE MESA MANAGING EDITOR

» COURTESY NIKO GERENTES

MARTIN WAS A good person. He volunteered at the local church and enjoyed chocolate chip pancakes, and after he died, his soul inhabited a bicycle.

Martin’s story may seem outlandish, but in the town of Crestfall, Idaho, it is not uncommon.

The tales of Crestfall are chronicled in the podcast “Death

by Dying,” which is produced by senior cinema art and science major Evan Gulock, along with Niko Gerentes, 2018 interdisciplinary arts alumnus and casting director, and Josh Giordan, creative producer and 2018 cinema art and science alumnus.

“Death by Dying” follows an obituary writer, voiced

by Gulock, as he investigates deaths around the town.

“On his journey, he encounters murderous

campus farmers, man-eating cats, haunted bicycles and a healthy dose of ominous shadows,” reads the description on Apple Podcasts.

There are five episodes and one additional live episode in the first season, which debuted in October 2018. A longer second season is slated to be released in May 2019.

“Death by Dying” recently cracked the Top 150 in Performing Arts podcasts on iTunes and has around 10,000 downloads.

Gulock said Apple Podcasts does not state exactly how many listeners or subscribers they have.

“I seriously started tearing up [when I found out],” Gerentes said. “Imagine creating something ... and you see it on the shelf at Costco or Target.”

The podcast is almost entirely Columbia made, with the trio using on-campus studios and a majority of the voice actors coming from Columbia, including three professors.

Gulock and Giordan were writing partners in “Radio Pod-

casting” at Columbia when “Death by Dying” started. Gulock said he did not want to complete the assignment, because it called for only one episode; instead, he preferred a series.

“It was humorous [that] I was in a class full of people who only listened to NPR, and I was presenting a story that had bird people, murder mystery and a giant cannon from the Civil War that gets [shot] off every time someone dies,” Gulock said. “We got anonymous feedback every time, ... and one person said, ‘I prefer my fiction in books.’”

After hearing the podcast, Matthew Cunningham, WCRX faculty advisor and professor of the podcasting class, emailed Gerentes and asked him if he wanted to be part of it.

“I don’t know what it was, but I was just drawn to it,” Gerentes said. “[I thought], ‘I don’t really understand what I’m listening to, but I want to buy it, I’m in.’”

Originally, the podcast was not supposed to be funny or whimsical, but the comedy aspect natu-

rally bled into the whole process of creating the first episode, Gulock said.

“The line between humor and horror comes back to emotion,” Gulock said. “Something we highlight in the show, even in its most absurd moments, is our characters have genuine human emotion invested.”

In the first season, the trio would rewrite the script to bring in that emotional element, even if they thought the episode was already funny, Giordan said.

“Even if the world is obscure, the people are very human,” Giordan said. “That’s what the first season was about—how do you handle grief ?”

He added that they were able to reflect on what it is like to deal with death and mourning by just changing a few lines.

“That’s what I love about it,” Gerentes said. “Everybody has experienced these emotions before.” bmesa@columbiachronicle.com

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FEBRUARY 4, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 5

campus

6 THE CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 4, 2019

arts culture

Chicagoans enjoy innovative puppet festival » ColumbiaChronicle.com/Multimedia

Friends, femmes and philanthropy: Galentine’s Day becomes cultural tradition

» MIRANDA MANIER NEWS EDITOR WHETHER IT’S CELEBRATED with mimosas, presents or waffles from JJ’s Diner, Galentine’s Day has become a trend for many since a February 2010 episode of “Parks and Recreation” coined the term.

As Amy Poehler’s character Leslie Knope said, “Ladies celebrating ladies. It’s like Lilith Fair, minus the angst. Plus frittatas.”

Since its on-screen inception, Galentine’s Day has exploded into a fully-commercialized holiday, according to a February 2017 article by The Atlantic. Events have popped up across Chicago over the years to help celebrate female friendship and to raise money for women’s causes and nonprofits.

For the past three years, Feminist Happy Hour, a monthly comedy showcase highlighting female and gender-nonconforming comedians, has held a “BFF”-themed

Galentine’s Day event that has grown in size and popularity each year.

“Our Galentine’s Day show the first year was sold out. It was one of our biggest shows,” said Alicia Swiz, Feminist Happy Hour founder and former host. “It’s probably one of our biggest audiences of all time.”

Past iterations of the event featured a game styled after the tv show “The Newlywed Game” and a “best friends” photobooth.

This year, in its largest venue so far at The Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western Ave., the celebration will have a pop-up market with women-run businesses, starting at 7 p.m. Feb. 13. There will also be two DJs throughout the night, as well as a comedy showcase that will feature female and nonbinary performers.

Half of the proceeds at the door, as well as the proceeds from a raffle, will go to A Long Walk Home, a Chicago-based nonprofit

that uses art and therapy to work toward ending violence against women and girls.

Love Peridot, 1114 S. Delano Court, will also have a Galentine’s Day event Feb. 9 from 3–6 p.m. offering complimentary manicures and vintage pieces from vendor Pearled Shoebox Vintage. Portions of each purchase will go to Project Style, another Chicago-based nonprofit that uses fashion as a way to empower and boost the self-esteem of disadvantaged youth, especially young girls.

“It’s just an opportunity for us to pour into ourselves and into each other,” said D’Cher Whitaker, owner of Love Peridot.

“We always make Valentine’s Day about our significant other, so I just wanted to make something where we can love on ourselves and not be so focused on another person.”

According to Swiz, events like these are opportunities to build community with other women and femme people. She added

the goal is not to exclude men but to create an atmosphere that is not primarily for them.

“It’s still a subversive concept [even though] friendship among women is as old as humanity itself,” she said. “It’s in no way an unfriendly space to men. It’s a space that invites men to be more comfortable and more open to what feminine energy and feminine spaces bring.”

Senior audio design and production major Amanda Golembiewski said she always celebrates Galentine’s Day and plans to attend the Feminist Happy Hour event.

“I’ve been through my rough points, and my girlfriends are there for me,” she said. “[They’re] there to put me in my place and help and support me, and, in this day and age, we need to celebrate more of that.” mmanier@columbiachronicle.com » GRACE SENIOR/CHRONICLE

FEBRUARY 4, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 7

arts & culture

» ALEXANDRA YETTER STAFF REPORTER WITH OVER 30,000 followers on Instagram, yoga instructor and intuitive healer Kate Van Horn is part of a growing social media trend of spirituality intersecting with health and wellness.

What some may call a fancy term for a psychic reading, an intuitive healing session can involve an alternative medicinal practice known as Reiki healing; tarot card readings or fortune tellings; and spiritual cleanses or energy readings, Van Horn said.

Reiki healing is a form of therapy originating from Japan that works to remove energy “blocks” in the human body through the hands of the practitioner, similar in concept to acupuncture, according to Medical News Today.

Tarot card readings are a popular form of fortune telling that

may reveal the past, present and future of a person’s life.

These days, sessions are not like they are made out to be in the movies, Van Horn said.

“Spirituality is becoming less taboo to discuss,” Van Horn said.

“I can’t stand that [people] think it’s going to look like the movies and be super witchy. I’m a normal, everyday, modern woman who likes to get her nails done… It’s about personal reflection.”

Van Horn said her sessions, whether virtual or in-person, begin with a simple conversation.

This builds a safe space to gauge energies before reading tarot cards and offering solutions to issues her clients would like to resolve through yoga practices for the body, journaling prompts for the mind or meditation for the soul.

“It [has] allowed me to feel more connected to a full purpose rather

8 THE CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 4, 2019

than just my physical body,” Van “[Psychics] will talk about Horn said. “It’s allowed me to feel human nature, the human condimore empowered, not only with tion. It’s going to resonate with a my own mental health, but with lot of people,” Stollznow said. my journey and reason for being Senior graphic design major here in this lifetime.”

Ashley King said she used to be Van Horn was a skeptic before a skeptic before having her tarot entering the spiritual space when cards read at a party during her she was 22-years-old, after being freshman year. When the reader treated for post traumatic stress gasped at her cards, she thought disorder and an eating disorder. the worst. Instead, she received She said she surrendered to intu- three cards that foretold success itive healing when she found that in her life. yoga helped with her PTSD, anxiAt the time, King was questionety and depression. ing her decision to be a designer at Intuitive healing may not be Columbia, but it gave her peace the end-all, be-all, though. of mind.

Rather than seeing a psychic, “To this day, I’m doing well,” tarot card reader or medium, King said. “I think about it as an Karen Stollznow, author of “Hits ironic story, but I still wonder: Was & Mrs.”—a fiction novel about a it the tarot card reading or was it woman attempting to expose the how my life was supposed to go?” world’s greatest psychic—advises Van Horn said those interested talking to a friend or seeing a in the spiritual space tend to be trained therapist instead. women in college through their Stollznow said a variety of mid-30s, and are more focused people will seek out psychics on improving their relationships for advice, although movies and with themselves rather than media often portray customers as romantic ones. middle-aged women looking for “They’re always asking the romantic consolation. bigger questions of ‘What

is my true calling?’” Van Horn said. “Anything that we can cultivate as a tool for a better life is worth exploring.” ayetter@columbiachronicle.com » GRACE SENIOR/CHRONICLE

Tarot next trend in self-love culture

arts & culture

“We really are a leader in this movement in the city,” said Jackie Rachev, director of communiA HUMAN TRAFFICKING 101 con- cations for the Salvation Army versation took center stage Jan. Metropolitan Division and a 2000 26 at the Monarch Thrift Shop in broadcast journalism alumna.

Logan Square.

Rachev oversees communiAs part of Human Trafficking cation activities for the division, Prevention Month, the event which covers 29 facilities and was presented by STOP-IT, an more than 50 different programs. initiative that offers direct ser- STOP-IT is also a part of the vice to survivors of sex and labor Cook County Human Trafficking trafficking. STOP-IT is part of Task Force.

The Salvation Army and works “Human Trafficking is a lot with local, state and national more prevalent than people think,” partners to educate communi- Rachev said. “It’s not just sex ties and raise awareness about trafficking, it’s labor trafficking human trafficking. as well.”

Monarch Thrift Shop, 2886 N. Human Trafficking happens Milwaukee Ave., is a nonprofit in both legally visible places and organization with a mission to stigmatized settings. help rebuild lives of men who Chicago is one of the major entry were formerly incarcerated, who points for victims of human trafare fleeing survival prostitution ficking, she added. or who are battling addiction or In 2017, there were 4,460 cases homelessness, and get them back reported in the states, according on their feet. to a story by WAND-TV. Among » KENDALL POLIDORI STAFF REPORTER

» STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE

STOP-IT group continues support during National Human Trafficking Month

those cases, 3,698 of those affected were female, 607 were male and 53 were identified as gender minorities. Illinois ranked 10th among states for the number of reported cases for the first half of 2017.

“STOP-IT works really hard to empower these survivors to make decisions for the betterment of their own lives,” Rachev said.

Some of the organization’s services include providing survivors Monarch Thrift Shop in Logan Square, 2866 N. Milwaukee Ave., hosted a Human Trafficking 101 conversation for Human Trafficking Prevention month. with resources, such as cellphones, clothing and food. Survivors also from traffickers and eventually that it affects not just women but have the option to attend counsel- from the STOP-IT group. also men.” ing, but it is not mandatory.

Human trafficking is a local The Human Trafficking 101 con“Our participants dictate every- problem, not just a global problem, versation took place at Monarch thing that goes [in] their service said Mireya Fouche, assistant and Thrift Shop because of its connecplans and what goals they want to merchant manager at Monarch tion with Emmaus Ministries,an achieve,” said STOP-IT Program Thrift Shop. outreach group that provides for Manager Elyse Dobney. “We have “We are just doing our part as men on the streets. staff who can make recommen- a small business that focuses on “It’s important for us to get the dations for them, but it’s up to people over profit,” Fouche said. word out and say that it is also happrogram participants [to decide] “For us, human trafficking is pening here in Chicago,” Fouche what they do and don’t do.” something that is happening fre- said. “So keep an eye out.”

Dobney said their goal is to help quently in Chicago. Most people participants build independence don’t speak about it, but we know kpolidori@columbiachronicle.com

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FEBRUARY 4, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 9

top five

arts & culture

COLOR SCHEME TRENDS OF 2019

SONGS FOR THE POLAR VORTEX

WEIRDEST ‘BOB’S BURGERS’ MOMENTS

SHANE DAWSON YOUTUBE VIDEOS

» SHANE TOLENTINO GRAPHIC DESIGNER

» GRACE SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

» MICHA THURSTON AD & BUSINESS MANAGER

» KACI WATT STAFF REPORTER

Living Coral and sage green: Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2019 is called Living Coral, a lush pink-orange, which pairs well with a warm-toned green. This is a classic wedding theme reminiscent of gardens during spring.

Emanating feelings of vibrancy and peace, this combination will remind you of blush-tinted roses in bloom.

“A Long December” by Counting Crows: An oldie but a goodie. The mellow tones in this bop help you reminisce to when it wasn’t negative degrees out, but then slowly brings you back to the perpetual December that we’re experiencing.

“Human Burgers”: After being accused of using human flesh in their meat, the city’s health inspector places Bob’s Burgers on a temporary shutdown. Cannibalism may not have been a good move for the first episode, but it is definitely a memorable one.

“Exposing My Secret Cameraman!”: In this video, we meet Shane’s camerman, Andrew Siwicki. These two dominate YouTube with their creativity and humor.

Since Andrew’s introduction, the channel has only improved.

Rainbow jewel tones: This design trend lends itself to using more than two or three colors, often with simple typography. A common example of this can be found in the eyecatching RXBAR packaging.

Muted pinks and cool grays: Pink and gray can showcase a minimalist design with subtle shifts in shades. Compared to off-whites, this combination brings life and contrast without being too distracting.

Warm earth tones: Warm earth tones are definitely welcome amid the Polar Vortex. Rich russets, muted reds and sandy yellows are all over the American Southwest region and pair well with an accent color of soft teal.

Mustard yellow and dark blue: This combination can be found on the Swedish flag and Vincent van Gogh’s “The Starry Night.” The visual appeal comes from how mustard yellow is dulled in vibrancy to look almost orange, the natural complement of blue.

10 THE CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 4, 2019

“Oxygen” by Water Dolphins: A techno ballad that represents your yearning for the warmer weather that is to come. This song accurately states what walking outside in the winter is like: “I start to suffocate and struggle, too.” The vocalization in this song will bring you to your knees while you beg for spring to arrive and save you from suffocation in this Polar Vortex.

“Tina’s Night Terrors”: One of Tina Belcher’s core character traits is her pubescent tendencies. This is shown in Season 1, Episode 2 when we get a glimpse of Tina’s erotic night terrors. For the sake of keeping things PG, let’s just say it included zombies and making out.

“Best Friend Makeover! *Shocking*”: The friendship between Shane and YouTuber Garrett Watts is so pure. Shane gives Garrett a makeover and confidence boost and later sets him up on a blind date, making for an enjoyable 17 minutes.

“The Real Truth About Tanacon”: This video chronicles Tanacon, the infamous fail of a YouTuber convention created by YouTuber Tana Mongeau in 2018. The video was part of a docuseries that changed the course of Shane’s channel for the better. The drama kept me, and millions of others, coming back for more.

“Polarize” by Twenty One Pilots: This winter is polarizing me from the outdoors. “My friends and I, we got a lot of problems,” and the Polar Vortex is all of them. The killer beats in this track almost makes you forget that it’s too cold to ever leave your bed again. Almost.

“Freaky Friend Fiction”: Tina’s eroticism continues in Season 2, Episode 8, “Bad Tina,” when it is revealed that Tina has been cataloging erotic stories about pretty much everyone in her school. Everyone does weird things when they’re growing up, but Tina definitely takes the cake.

“It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning” by We Were Promised Jetpacks: It may not be thunder and lightning, but we can barely see outside. This powerful alt-rock song will make you want to fist pump and declare that even the Polar Vortex won’t keep you down.

“Gayle’s Paintings”: Viewers are introduced to Linda Belcher’s sister, Gayle. There’s not much to say about Gayle other than the fact that she’s eccentric—so eccentric that she hangs incredibly detailed paintings of animal butts in the family’s restaurant.

“The Secret World of Jeffree Star”: Makeup artist and YouTuber Jeffree Star is most notoriously known for his scandals, but this series explores every aspect of Jeffree’s very private life through an open-minded lens. The emotion, candidness and vulnerability of the series is something only Shane is able to produce.

“Cold Cold Cold” by Cage The Elephant: This song will give you the power to brace the cold, cold, cold days ahead.

With a killer guitar riff to help, the beat in this song can only be described as a call to action to wage war on the Polar Vortex.

“Bob’s Absinthe Dream”: After drinking an entire bottle of Absinthe, Bob has one of the strangest fever dreams in the entire show. It’s very clearly inspired by the 1988 anime “My Neighbor Totoro,” but why, I haven’t been able to figure out.

“Blind Girl Drives My Car *Scary*”: Shane gives YouTuber and activist Molly Burke an experience she never thought she would have: sitting behind the wheel.

Watching her drive for the first, and likely only, time, is bittersweet, but her excitement prevails.

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opinions

We cannot pit marginalized groups against each other » ColumbiaChronicle.com/Opinions

Religious freedom requires understanding, resources

O

ne fifth of hate crimes were based on the attacker’s religious bias, according to the FBI. In October 2018, a shooter shouting anti-Semitic slurs massacred 11 congregants at a synagogue. This rampant religious discrimination prompted Jewish cinema art and science senior Ian Roozrokh to create a petition urging the college administration to appoint an expert on religion to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.

On a campus where students often feel apathetic and disenfranchised, Roozrokh’s decision to take direct action to make his community’s voice heard is admirable and should be noticed.

Religious minorities need representation on campus. The administration should heed his call to appoint a religious expert, and it should choose someone who can advocate for all students.

Columbia’s Jewish community will likely have different needs and want access to different resources than its Muslim or Buddhist communities, but all of those needs deserve to be heard and met.

Columbia, as a private institution, does not have an obligation to curate religious communities on campus. The administration should not encourage anyone toward a particular faith or any faith at all. But, as a school focused on inclusivity and freedom, it is undeniably the college’s job to make sure every student has the ability—and, critically, the right—to explore faith for themselves if they wish to do so.

It should, and must, continue to create space for students to hold their own services, to pray, to escape the oppression of a nation that upholds one religion as more legitimate than others. More can be done to ensure true inclusiveness.

Equality in the courtroom critical to LGBTQ activism

N » GRACE SENIOR/CHRONICLE

ew York is likely to become the fourth state to ban the controversial gay and trans panic defense strategy, according to a Jan. 25 NBC article. The bill was introduced in 2017 and has been gaining momentum since.

According to the LGBT Bar, a national association of legal professionals for

the LGBTQ community, the gay and trans panic defense argues a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity justifies violence against them.

Though it may seem a relic of an inhumane past, these defenses have been used within the past year and have protected dozens of violent bigots from legal ramifications. In May 2018, Texan James Miller was sentenced to only 10 years probation for killing his neighbor Daniel Spencer after he believed Spencer “leaned in for a kiss.”

Only three states—California, Illinois and Rhode Island—have banned this defense. The American Bar Association has been pushing for a federal ban since 2013, and it is time for the government to catch up. This defense insists the fragile pride of men who cannot handle the existence of LGBTQ people is more

Editorial Board Members Jay Berghuis Opinions Editor Blaise Mesa Managing Editor Kendall Polidori Staff Reporter Knox Keranen Staff Reporter Katherine Savage Staff Reporter

12 THE CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Kaci Watt Staff Reporter Alexandra Yetter Staff Reporter Kristen Nichols Copy Chief Margaret Smith Copy Editor Shane Tolentino Graphic Designer

We stand at a point in history where religious discrimination is visible and encouraged, from President Trump’s Muslim travel ban to 2017’s Charlottesville protests. The highest seats of government think of religious persecution only when their bigotry is challenged, believing it is their right to oppress others in the name of Christianity. This is a bastardization of religion and religious freedom.

EDITORIAL The core of all religions should be a desire for truth, meaning and understanding. Seeking these is the goal of higher education as well. Columbia should listen to its students and take a stand to ensure each and every person enrolled here is able to seek something greater than themselves without fear or discrimination. Condemn hate, encourage community and teach understanding. chronicle@colum.edu

Editor’s note: Dr. Kim released a statement Feb. 1 in response to a news story The Chronicle is currently working on related to this issue. The statement read in part:.

“Our focus has been on a systemic approach at the campus level. On the heels of our employees going through “undoing racism” workshops, we are stepping up our efforts to confront intolerance and discrimination. Our goal of becoming a national leader

important than a human life. It is a betrayal of equality under the law. It advocates that LGBTQ people are second-class citizens in the land of the free.

The gay and trans panic defense boils down to a fundamental belief that LGBTQ people are inherently deceptive for being who they are and that violence against them is justified. Society forced the community into the closet, forced rigid gender norms where they did not fit and forced upon people the very idea that they have to pretend not to be queer to be accepted. To punish LGBTQ people for these inflexible standards that were not theirs to begin with is despicable.

When we attempt to apply blackand-white laws to a rainbow of human experience, the outcome will always be catastrophic. The appearance of social acceptance means nothing if LGBTQ people can legally be murdered for who they are.

The very fact that this defense exists and is legal in the vast majority of the country shows just how far society still

in advancing principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education takes multiple forms, from revamping curricula to diversifying our hiring.

One major next step is the expansion of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committees to offer more opportunities for representatives of students, faculty and staff to further identify problems and propose solutions.”

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for additional reporting.

EDITORIAL has to go in order to achieve real, meaningful acceptance and support for LGBTQ people. Marriage equality and pride parades, though critically important and sustaining, are simply not enough. We cannot become complacent in the face of the profound, ingrained, historical oppression of LGBTQ people. Their dehumanization is built into the foundation of our culture, so deeply rooted that our legal system rarely even acknowledges it, much less confronts and demolishes it.

We cannot and will not be subdued by how far we have come compared to 10, 25 or 50 years ago. We cannot convince ourselves this is far enough.

The difference between progress and regression is apathy. Learn the history of violence and brokenness in order to push forward into the future. Cultural change is happening more rapidly than ever before; we must pressure the legal system not only to keep up but to set the stage for what more needs to be done. chronicle@colum.edu

Did you catch a mistake, think we could have covered Ignacio Calderon Staff Photographer a story better or have strong beliefs about an issue Ethan Sandock Videographer that faces all of us here at Columbia?

Alex White Videographer Why not write a letter to the editor? At the bottom of Page 2, Lauren Carlton Brand Manager you’ll find a set of guidelines on how to do this. Let us hear from you. —The Columbia Chronicle Editorial Board

opinions

COMMENTARY

Fewer aldermen means lack of representation » ALEXANDRA YETTER STAFF REPORTER

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» SHANE TOLENTINO/CHRONICLE

hicago has long been viewed as a center of political corruption. Now, federal extortion charges against longtime Ald. Ed Burke (14th Ward) and the subsequent fallout impacting other politicians has renewed calls for fewer wards and fewer aldermen. But, mayoral candidate Bill Daley’s proposal to shrink the City Council from 50 aldermen to 15 would only make the political landscape more susceptible to corruption and dilute what little representation minorities have gained over the years.

Daley argues that eliminating most of the “50 mini mayors” is the best way to reduce corruption and accelerate governmental processes. This comes just after Burke’s problems tainted the mayoral campaigns of County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and State Comptroller Susana Mendoza.

In addition to shrinking the City Council, Daley also wants to strip aldermen of their unchecked final say in building and zoning permits in their wards; impose term limits; and forbid aldermen from holding second or parttime jobs in addition to their political duties.

Daley’s attempt to create a more moral government is ironic given the nearly 45-year nepotistic reign of the Daleys in Chicago, as well as his Trumplike refusal to release his full tax returns to the Chicago Tribune

for its regular publishing of mayoral candidates’ tax information.

By limiting the City Council to 15 aldermen, not only will corruption likely run rampant, representation will be practically eliminated.

It is no secret that the people who typically get elected are the ones with the most money. Funds are essential to campaigning. Nationally, conservative white men tend to make up the majority of the donor population, and the white male politicians they support prioritize that demographic to keep money rolling in, according to research

by Demos, a public policy organization.

With only 15 seats available, the majority of the biggest, wealthiest, whitest wards of Chicago would most likely be represented, and the City Council would be less likely to concern itself with programs for minority areas. Corporate businesses could be more likely to win building permits that allow them to force out black and Latinx residents from communities, new taxes could disfavor low-income communities and programs that benefit low-income neighborhoods could disappear.

An elite group of 15 mostly-wealthy, mostly-white men sitting behind closed doors in City Hall cannot be trusted to represent the diverse population of Chicago. Daley—who has not even proposed how he would get this past the 35 aldermen he would take the rug out from under, or even how ward re-districting might look—thinks having a smaller City Council would eliminate much of the corruption Chicago is famous for. In reality, Daley risks taking away representation from the very demographic whom he is asking to vote for him.

FEBRUARY 4, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 13

metro

City to bring in more license plate readers on CPD vehicles » ColumbiaChronicle.com

South Loop community pushes back against new Red Line Station » KNOX KERANEN

STAFF REPORTER

14 THE CHRONICLE FEBRUARY 4, 2019

Park will not become a casualty to construction when the station is built.

“I haven’t been to that park, but I am always a fan of public works and having more space for nature,” he said.

According to a Nov. 30 Department of Planning and Development report, the Roosevelt/Clark redevelopment is eligible for $700 million in tax increment financing funds.

Sigcho-Lopez was displeased with Related Midwest’s lack of transparency regarding the cost of the project.

“What they failed to say is this will cost taxpayers $700 million that we don’t have right now,” he said.

Moreover, he said he is disappointed with Dowell’s support of the project.

Without having the details and a discussion with the community, Sigcho-Lopez questioned how she could approve it.

Both Dowell and Related Midwest declined to comment on the station.

Due to relocation, the cost is expected to increase from $300 million estimated

by Crain’s Chicago Business, although the difference has yet to be announced.

“I commend the residents in the third ward for pushing back on this project,” SigchoLopez said. kkeranen@columbiachronicle.com »PATRICK CASEY/CHRONICLE

SOUTH LOOP RESIDENTS have defeated a developer’s “intrusive” proposal for a Chicago Transit Authority Red Line station that would have encroached on an existing community park.

Developer Related Midwest initially proposed a new Red Line station at Clark Street and 15th Street in May 2018. But neighbors of Cotton Tail Park, which features benches, paths and a playground for children in nearby homes, objected and gained the support of Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward).

“It’s not the idea of an ‘L’ stop; the spot they were proposing is just not going to fly. It’s too intrusive,” said Tina Feldstein, president of the Prairie District Neighborhood Alliance.

Residents have sought a new CTA station but in a less disruptive location.

“We have long been asking for a Green Line stop at 18th [Street] and Wabash [Avenue], and we’ve been told it’s cost prohibitive,” Feldstein said. “The truth is, if there’s a will, there’s a way.”

The mega-development–unofficially titled The 78 because it would become the 78th neighborhood of Chicago–is estimated to cost $7 billion. Plans feature housing, retail and a University of Illinois research facility.

A Care2 petition asks for the preservation of Cotton Tail Park, which is located just south of the Dearborn II community in the South Loop. The petition “strongly urge[s] Ald. Dowell to continue to oppose the construction of the station.” It has gained over 1,000 signatures toward its goal of 2,000.

In response to pressure from Dowell and her constituents, Curt Bailey, president of Related Midwest, announced in a Jan. 10 statement that developers would move the station from the southeast corner of Clark and 15th streets to the west side of Clark Street.

The relocation places the prospective station in the 25th Ward and on the 62-acre parcel that Related Midwest is planning to develop for mixed-use.

Aldermanic candidate Byron SigchoLopez (25th Ward) opposes the development until more details, especially regarding affordable housing, are available to community residents. He said these details were absent at a Dec. 10 meeting held by Related Midwest.

“They had nice brochures; they had nice pictures; but ... there was zero discussion in terms of affordable housing,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “They did say they are committed to do the minimum requirements, but there was no further discussion.”

Sophomore cinema art and science major Jonathan Ziebarth is excited about a Red Line station that could service Columbia’s Media Production Center, 1600 S. State St. “It would be really great to have another station that’s more reliable nearby,” Ziebarth said. “The only transport we have from this building back to the main part of the Loop are [the] 62 and 29 [buses].”

Ziebarth added that he is glad Cotton Tail

Library starts new chapter in West Loop » KATHERINE SAVAGE STAFF REPORTER

» PATRICK REPONSE/CHRONICLE

LIBRARIES CAN BE silent and boring to some, but with advanced technology in addition to hardcopy books, the West Loop library is breaking tradition.

On Jan. 17, the West Loop Chicago Public Library branch, 122 N. Aberdeen St., officially

opened as the first public library in the neighborhood and the Chicago Public Library’s 81st location. The library offers various amenities, such as a recording booth, study spaces, a reading area and an area for children.

“We also have a YOUmedia center for teens,” said Melissa Wagner, the library’s branch manager. “It’s a digital media space where they

The West Loop Chicago Public Library Branch, 122 N. Aberdeen St., opened Jan. 17 and features new technological amenities.

can explore in a maker lab setting.

There’s a 3D printer, a vinyl cutter, many other making materials for hands-on exploratory learning [and a] gaming console for just hanging out.”

Funding for the library was donated by Sterling Bay, a Chicago-based real estate investment and development company.

The cost of the library has not yet been released.

It was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP and completed in one year, according to Brian Lee, the project’s design partner. The design was made to reflect a modernized version of the neighborhood’s industrial beginnings.

The design mirrors sound waves with patterns on the interior and exterior walls, Wagner said.

“Interspersed in that sound wave motif are quotes that, as a team, [we] chose to have on the walls,” she said. “That visual motif is carried out through the exterior

facade, bringing the inside out and vice versa.”

There are quotes in the children’s area from author Shel Silverstein’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and from 13th century Persian poet Rumi.

The new branch put a lot of emphasis on making sure the library serves residents of all ages.

There is a learning area for children that will help them develop skills through talking, singing, reading, writing and playing, Wagner said.

“Kids are connecting to the library at a really early age,” she said. “We have also found parents and caregivers reconnecting to the library as they bring their children [or] grandchildren.”

Ally Schumacher has been to the library twice since it opened.

She brings the child she nannies there because of the children’s resources. Even though she is not a West Loop resident, she said she plans on getting a library card.

metro “It’s just nice to have a place to go during the winter,” she said. “It’s great for after school, and getting them into reading is always good.”

Like the other branches, the West Loop branch will have frequent gatherings, such as an adult book club and a sewing class in February, Wagner said.

The new branch is open to anyone with a library card, so Columbia students can take advantage of the new space as well.

The library offers many tools to help people in the community gather and expand their knowledge together, Lee said.

“We all think libraries are an essential element in everybody’s daily lives. You can gain knowledge, work with other people and find out about issues of the world at all income levels and at all ages,” Lee said. “These libraries are more than just checking out books ... they become social and cultural hubs.” ksavage@columbiachronicle.com

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PRESIDENT KWANG-WU KIM IS PLEASED TO OFFER

STUDENT OFFICE HOURS FOR THE SPRING 2019 SEMESTER Do you have a suggestion about how to make Columbia better?

Want to share your story and experience with President Kim? Appointments are 20 minutes and are held in President Kim’s office, on the 5th floor of 600 South Michigan.

Please RSVP for a date February 15, 2019 March 15, 2019 April 26, 2019 To register for a time slot, please visit: about.colum.edu/president/student-office-hours Space is limited so register today!

Limit one slot per student.

If you have any questions, please contact officeofthepresident@colum.edu