See PAGE 1B for spring football coverage
MONDAY April 18, 2016
THE DAILY ILLINI The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 145 Issue 88
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Faculty union to announce work actions Monday, strike likely Interim provost threatens to withhold pay from strikers BY MEGAN JONES STAFF WRITER
WENYUAN CHEN THE DAILY ILLINI
U of I students celebrate the annual Holi festival at the Florida and Lincoln Playing Field on Saturday afternoon.
Holi festival fundraises for kids Student group provides a cultural, festive atmosphere BY ASHNI GANDHI STAFF WRITER
Asha for Education, a student run University group, hosted its fifth annual Holi Festival and raised 18,000 for underprivileged children in India. Asha for Education’s chapter at the University was established in 1999, and its effort have grown throughout the years. This year’s festival, held Saturday, over 2,500 people participated in the “Indian Color Festival.” All the pro-
ceeds went to schools and and graduate student in students in India who lack engineering, said the Holi resources to obtain a better festival only just started education. attracting people of differHoli is a religious South ent backgrounds. According Asian festo Malani, five years tival that takes place ago when during the the event springfirst started up the time, celnu mbers ebrating the imporwere sigt a n c e nificantly of love. smaller Despite ranging bei ng a from 500 SARIKA MALANI predomto 1,000 HOLI COORDINATOR people and inantly Indian Holthe pariday, the ticipa nts University’s Holi Festival were mostly South Asian. attracted a diverse group “It is a unique event and of people. not very many campuses Sarika Malani, coor- practice Holi and not many dinator of the Holi event cultures have an event like
“I think when you allow people to openly, freely throw colors ... the idea of this event just appeals to people.”
this,” Malani said. “I think when you allow people to openly, freely throw colors, with the music, colors and food, the idea of this event just appeals to people.” Based on Malani’s view, the growth in popularity in this Indian event is due to the popularity in color runs and other color events. Having color and being outdoors commemorates spring, for all people alike, she said. This festival is not only a demonstration of culture for people unfamiliar with the Indian tradition, but it also helps South Asians get in touch with their roots. Shrina Patel, a sophomore in LAS, partook in the Holi activities. “I came out here last year
SEE HOLI | 3A
Bomb hoax causes scare Threat marks second of school year BY AARON NAVARO
Police
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN LIEBERSOHN
Faculty participate in the most recent Board of Trustees march to protest by the Non Tenure Faculty Coalition.
BY ADAM KAZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
WENYUAN CHEN THE DAILY ILLINI
A bomb alert was issued at Pizza Hut, 411 E. Green St., Champaign at around 2 a.m. on Sunday. The emergency ended at 3 a.m. Drucker said many of the people in the area seemed unaware of the threat. “Many seemed unaware of the threat/Illini Alert and were surprised and annoyed to fi nd that they couldn't go home (if they lived in the area) or take the most direct route to wherever they were going,” she said. At around 3 a.m. the bomb was determined an “unfounded threat” and an Illini Alert was issued saying it was safe to resume regular activities in the area. This bomb threat is one of two within the past two years in the Champaign area. On November 19, 2015, a threat was posted on reddit saying “Bomb. Parkland college. 11 am.” Classes were cancelled that day and the campus was evacuated until law enforcement
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SEE STRIKE | 3A
Students push to create Arab-American center
STAFF WRITER
The Champaign Pizza Hut on Green Street was the location of a bomb threat hoax early Sunday morning. A bomb threat was called in by an unknown suspect at 1:57 a.m, according to a Champaign Police Department report. An Illini Alert was promptly issued to students and faculty at 2:15 a.m. Both CPD and the University of Illinois Police Department officers were at the scene and closed the blocks from Sixth and Green St. to Fourth and Green St. Residents in buildings were not evacuated, though sidewalks were kept clear by officers on the scene. Junior and former employee of the Illini Media Company Steffie Drucker was at the intersection of Sixth and Green Streets at the time of the threat.
Interim Provost Edward Feser sent an email Friday to all non-tenure track faculty whom the Non-Tenure Faculty Coalition Local 6546 represent stating that faculty who strike will not be paid. On Monday, the union will announce what strike actions will be taken after the strike committee vote on work actions. The union voted last week with “overwhelming majority” to consider striking after becoming frustrated with the negotiation process.
The strike is not “openended,” meaning it would only last for a few days and can include a series of actions such as rallies, picketing, a building strike or a one-to-three day work stoppage. “We have reached tentative agreements on several key items and believe that further progress can be made at the bargaining table,” Feser said. “We are disappointed it appears the NTFC isn’t willing to give the process a chance.” Gilmore sent a statement to members, expressing that he appreciated Feser reaching out to them because they had not heard anything throughout the week regarding the administration’s position. He said the union had not yet agreed on key
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officials completed a sweep of the campus, letting classes resume the next day. University of Illinois Chief of Police Jeff Christensen said that these bomb threats have unfortunately increased in the past couple of years. “Statistically what we are JEFF CHRISTENSEN seeing is these threats are UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS CHIEF increasing,” Christensen OF POLICE said. “A lot of that has to do with them being able to do it The first is a definite hoax, anonymously through vari- where it can be confirmed. ous mediums.” The second, is where it can Though policies and pro- be determined it is a hoax, cedures vary with each situ- but individuals will still be ation, Christensen said one alerted and asked to check of the fi rst things to do is anything that might be assess the credibility of the suspicious. situation. If there is high credibilChristensen said there ity on the threat, or someare several levels of cred- thing suspicious is spotted, ibility that they deal with, the area would be secured most in relation to stan- immediately and a team of dards set by federal agencies such as the FBI. SEE BOMB | 3A
“I’m very confident our response, our history and our efforts and resources can handle these.”
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University’s nuclear fusion device will be completed, used Friday
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Anyone who’s spent time on Nevada Street can tell you about the variety of cultural houses on our campus. Yet some students believe there needs to be more options represented in our University’s cultural resource centers. Akram Almasri, senior in LAS, began his goal to create an Arab Cultural House last fall. Almasri, who attended a Muslim school in suburban Chicago, believes an Arab Cultural House could help defuse some of the Islamophobia he’s seen on campus. “There’s obviously current events going on with regards to the war on terror, how certain people perpetrate specific acts of terror,” Almasri said. “Of course some people generalize that to an entire people.” This one-dimensional
misunderstanding of his culture, religion and even his people inspired him to make a change. This inspired him to use the LENS Diversity Certifi cate project to push to create an Arab American Cultural House. LENS, which stands for Learn, Envision, Navigate and Synthesize, is an initiative through the Office of Inclusion and Intercultural Relations created to address gaps in diversity appreciation on campus. Since the project began, Almasri and a few partners have since led a group of 25 students to build momentum for the cause. They have reached out to administration, religious institutions in the Champaign-Urbana area and Arabic classes to look for support and donations. Almasri also plans to spread the word through a YouTube video and flyer handouts. However, Almasri said
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