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Two junior music majors will perform solo recitals at Dounda on Saturday.
SUITING UP FOR OPENER EIU softball will host Murray State Friday and Saturday for a three-game series at Williams Field.
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Dai ly Eastern News WWW.DAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM
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VOL. 97 | ISSUE 127
Friday, March 29, 2013
Charleston | Debate
TOWN HALL MEETING | SEXUAL ASSAULT
Candidates answer students’ questions By Amanda Wilkinson City Editor Community members and students alike gathered Tuesday to hear the Charleston mayoral candidates answer questions prepared by the student government. Candidates Larry Rennels, Brian Myerscough and Troy Richey, were asked about Charleston being the reason potential students did not choose Eastern, how students can have fun without being a burden to the community, bringing more sit-down restaurants to the city, the relationship between the city and Eastern, and student and community safety. Larry Rennels has been on the city council for 16 years and has worked as mayor pro-tem for eight years. He is a lifelong resident of Charleston and recently retired from his family business, Rennels TV & Appliance, in 2010. Brian Myerscough, a lifelong resident of Charleston, is currently a substitute teacher at Charleston Community School District. He has served on the Board of Zoning and Appeals for 23 years. Troy Richey has lived in Charleston for 15 years and works at CHI Overhead Doors in Arthur. Richard Wandling, a political science professor, moderated the debate in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
Effect of city on attracting students
Richey said he thinks cleaning up the city will attract potential businesses. “We need to show businesses we care about them and respect them,” he said. “If we help each other, we can turn this city around.” Myerscough said he was not surprised to hear the city was the reason people chose not to attend Eastern. “I’ve talked to students who feel the city has attacked them,” he said. Myerscough said the city needs to follow the lead of Carbondale and Champaign and lower the bar entry age to 19. Rennels said he can understand students coming from larger cities and not liking Charleston because of the city size. If the bar owners and city fail to police the students when they are out, the state will intervene and it will become a state violation, Rennels said.
Charleston’s role in retaining students
Myerscough said how the city treats the students directly affects if they decided to stay in Charleston. He said he wants to get back to when the city used to treat students like their own children. “That’s what we need to get back to – a good hometown,” Myerscough said. Richey said the city needs to treat the students better. CANDIDATES, page 5
Dominic Baima | The Daily Eastern Ne ws
MiKale Kelley-Ross, a senior psychology major, tells the panel how she does not feel safe on campus and then asks what they are going to do about it during the town hall meeting on Thursday in the Lumpkin Auditorium.
“I don’t feel safe on this campus” Officials respond to community concerns
By Chacour Koop & Sara Hall Special Projects Reporter & Online Editor
vivors – including one of the moderators, Jeannie Ludlow – discussed personal experiences with sexual assault, including the emotional efresident Bill Perry at a town hall meet- fects that last long after. “I was raped. It was a long time ago, and ing addressing Eastern’s sexual assault climate Thursday said without the I didn’t tell anybody,” Ludlow said, beginning urgency brought on by students, faculty and the evening’s discussion. Tiffany Mazur, a freshman theatre arts macommunity members, the issue would largely jor, said she still deals with the aftermath of her remain undiscussed. “Absent of the students bringing this up at assault, and that therapy does not help her deal this time, we probably wouldn’t be here,” he re- with the anxiety. “What am I supposed to do to feel better? sponded to the student’s question. “That’s an What am I supposed to do to feel safe on this honest response.” campus that I love?” she Perry, along with asked the panel. Dan Nadler, the vice Mazur said she is lookpresident for student ing for university officials affairs; Dave Closto step up to the task and son, university police make students feel more crime prevention officer; and Cara Pschir- Tiffany Mazur, freshman theatre arts secure and protected from sexual assault attacks. rer, a counselor in the “I don’t feel safe on this Eastern Counseling Center, were part a panel that answered ques- campus,” she said. In response to questions of under-reporting tions from a full audience in Lumpkin Audiof sexual assault at Eastern, Perry said it haptorium. The panel updated the audience on the pens at other universities, too. “I’ve been at two universities, and the unprogress of the Sexual Assault Task Force’s new report and took questions concerning univer- derreporting has occurred at both,” he said. “I am not saying Eastern is any better or any sity policies. The report was supposed to be finalized worse than anyone else. I’m just saying we have Monday, but Nadler said the weather prevent- work to do, and we are working on it.” The Clery Act is a law requiring universied it from being completed. He said it will be complete in a couple of ties to publish all criminal offenses reported on campus for the previous three years. days. During the town hall meeting, multiple surSAFE, page 5
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"What am I supposed to do to feel safe on this campus that I love?"
Students weigh in Staff Report “I feel it went on deaf ears because I feel that they care more about the sake of the institution than the sake of the students.” - Mikale Kelley-Ross, a senior psychology major. “Since the beginning of this I’ve been mad at President Perry and Vice President Nadler, but I understand that they’re speaking on behalf of the entire administration so they need to watch what they say, and I know that when President Perry makes a statement that he really wants change to happen and they are trying their hardest; it’s just really difficult.” - Jenny Greenberg, a member of Women’s Empowerment League. “I feel like they spent most of their time trying to defend themselves and clear their name. I know that they’re not ill-intentioned, but I wish there was less self-defense and more progress.” - Katie Smith, a sophomore journalism major