EDITORIAL: Remembering 2015’s 45 school shootings PAGE 4A
THE DAILY ILLINI
MONDAY October 5, 2015
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
Vol. 145 Issue 26
Inequality, violence among topics discussed BY SAMI TOAL CONTRIBUTING WRITER
TIFFANY ZHANG THE DAILY ILLINI
Amanda Radek and Richard Hungerford, members of Wings of Wonder Aviation Rescue, look at one of the parrots at the Vet Med Open House at the Veterinarian Medicine Building on Sunday.
College of Education debuts IDEALL
DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT
About four years ago, as technology continued to evolve, the College of Education began to consider how the school could evolve with it. The college researched how technology can be used in the classroom as well as how students interact with and learn from technology. This curiosity led to the development of the Illinois Digital Ecologies and Learning Laboratory.
“We really wanted to create a space where we could both create and study a learning environment,” said Emma Mercier, assistant professor in Education. “A space where it’s flexible and easy to change what’s going on.” Robb Lindgren, assistant professor in Education, said members of the department began working with architects to coordinate what should be included the lab about a year ago, after the location was selected in the College of Education. “We started those conversations about what should be in the room, while also working pretty hard on applying for external funding to support the types of projects that would be com-
plimented by the lab’s facilities,” Lindgren said. “Both Dr. Mercier and myself had managed to get National Science Foundation, NSF, funded grants to support research related to these technologies that are being done in the lab.” The University and the College of Education jointly invested nearly $700,000 into the physical infrastructure and initial set of technologies for IDEALL. Academics working with the lab will also received $4.1 million in federal grants to conduct research. $2.4 million of the grant money will go toward the University and the college. There are a vast range of different technologies within the lab including 55 inch
multi touch tables, a grid system in the ceiling to easily move cameras, projectors and microphones, as well as augmented reality surfaces. “We’ve got wireless microphones and (pan-tiltzoom) cameras that we can easily move around the room, change, refocus them, get different angles on groups so we can actually get one or two views on a group of students working together and then later on go back and look at a video and try to work out how the technologies are influencing their interactions and learning opportunities,” Mercier said. The lab allows researchers to focus on the many
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Nine months after University students held a “diein” march to support African-American students on campus following the protests at Ferguson, MO, Champaign-Urbana community members gathered Sunday to talk about race relations. The seminar titled “Black and White in America: A Look at Racial Relations and Violence” was held at the Wesley United Methodist Church, Urbana, including a panel of speakers and members of the local community. “I thought it was exceptionally well-done,” said Judith Unger, a member of the United Methodist Women. “I was really impressed with the number of people that came, getting the conversation going is critical.” On the panel was Champaign Chief of Police Anthony Cobb, Champaign Mayor Deb Frank Feinen,
Monica McDermott, professor of sociology, and Travis Dixon, professor of communications. “One of the great things about events like this is that we are all coming together,” McDermott said. “There is a diverse range of perspectives.” McDermott began the discussion by stating stereotypes of African-Americans are a major obstacle in ending inequality and violence. “The murders in Charleston this past summer is a clear indicator that we have not transcended our violent past,” she said. McDermott said the Confederate flag’s removal mirrors progress made in the country since the 1960s, despite a range of inequality still found between the races in the areas of health, education and wealth. “We cannot just state race doesn’t matter,” she said. “We must commit to goals.” McDermott spoke of research she had done while working in a discount store in rural South Carolina. She said while working, a white man in the store
SEE RACE | 3A
SEE IDEALL| 3A
Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education dedication celebrated Friday Center offers resources for transitioning to civillian life
NIKITHA GAJULA THE DAILY ILLINI
A member of the seminar audience voicing his opinion on the information that has been presented by the panel at Wesley United Methodist Church on Sunday.
UIF reports decrease in donations for year
BY AARON NAVARRO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Noted as the first of its kind, the University officially dedicated the Chez Family Foundation Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education Friday. Ron L. Chez, president of the foundation for which the center is named, spoke at the ceremony and noted how the efforts of Tim Nugent — Disability Resources and Educational Services founder — gave way to the center’s creation. “Somebody has to have the doggone pursuit of wanting to get something done and Tim Nugent started that,” Chez said. The $14 million dollar building provides resources for veterans with disabilities pursuing college degrees and transitioning from military to civilian life. Gov. Bruce Rauner was also in attendance and spoke to the importance of the center, just as Gov. Pat Quinn did at the groundbreaking in 2013. The center was partly funded through a $4 million investment from Quinn’s Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program. Rauner also took the
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Talking about race in C-U
Birds of a feather
Federal grants fund research in developing technologies
78˚ | 55˚
DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT
NIKITHA GAJULA THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner attends the Dedication Ceremony and ribbon cutting for the Center for Wounded Veterans in High Education in Urbana on October 2. opportunity to thank the veterans directly. “We are the greatest nation on earth because of the service, the dedication, the commitment and the sacrifice of our service men and women who defended our freedom and democracy,” he said. “For that I thank you.” Interim Cha ncellor Wilson noted how the University has long been a pioneer with establishing disability resources and also remembered Nugent’s contributions to veteran and disability centers. Nugent founded DRES in 1948; it has since expanded
to serve all students with disabilities. “Today marks another chapter in that storied history,” Wilson said. Garrett Anderson, retired U.S. Army Sergeant and Graduate Assistant for the center spoke about how exciting the creation of the center was. “Today’s been awesome. This morning I woke up, walked downstairs, and the Stanley Cup is sitting in our front room. I touch the Stanley Cup, then of all things, Lou Henson walks in. I was like, ‘Gah! This is great!’ It wasn’t even 11 o’clock yet,” Anderson said.
Carol Owen, who is married to a student veteran, shared in Anderson’s excitement. Owen said it was “wonderful” to have everyone involved in creating the center — be it administrators, donors or veterans — there to celebrate the dedication. “It’s no mystery why this campus is regarded as one of the best campuses in America for veterans,” Rauner said.”This is a campus, this is a university that cares about people. Its an extraordinary place,” Rauner said.
alnavar@dailyillini.com
The University may be lacking a state budget, but the same cannot be said for donations, according to a press release from the University of Illinois Foundation. The release, sent Friday, reported the final numbers for fiscal year 2015, which ended June 30. According to the release, the University received $251.5 million in cash gifts, pledge payments, annuities/ life income gifts and estate distributions, University of Illinois Foundation treasurer Walter Knorr reported. Although the $251.5 million earned in fiscal year 2015 is a drop from the $259.5 million raised in 2014, it is nearly $17 million more than the $234.9 million raised in 2013. Concerns about the amount of donations the University would receive were raised by members of the University community following the controversies surrounding James Kilgore and Steven Salaita. However, since the close of fiscal year 2015, the combined endowment of the University and the Univer-
Endowment fund allocations
Research: $66.2 million Academic programs: $44.7 million Student support: $33 million Facilities: $23.2 million Public service: $14 million Faculty support: $8.8 million Unnamed areas: $3.8 million
SOURCE: University of Illinois Foundation
sity of Illinois Foundation totaled to $2.5 billion. Of the total endowment, nearly $2.4 billion is active endowment and $139.8 million is “irrevocable deferred” and can only be used for certain endowment purposes. “The University’s alumni, friends and community partners have once again demonstrated the importance of investing in higher education and the University of Illinois,” said James H. Moore, Jr., foundation president.
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Coat checks in campus bars will benefit students.
This week, Colleges Against Cancer is hosting their fundraising event “Pink Week.”
Illini down Huskers with late-game comeback Football wins Cubit’s first Big Ten game as head coach
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