WINDY CITY BOUND
TRAVELING MAN
The Eastern men’s soccer team will head to Chicago to take on Big East opponent DePaul. Page 8
Jose Antonio Rosa is a visiting professor from Wyoming participating in the American Council of Education fellows program. Page 3
Dai ly Eastern News
THE
WWW.DAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM
Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013
VOL. 98 | ISSUE 28
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
CAMPUS | CONTROVERSY
LEGISLATURE | REPRESENTATION
Panel explores solutions to violence issues
Student Action Team to lobby for Eastern
By Bob Galuski News Editor @DEN_News Students, faculty and community members gathered into Phipps Auditorium in the Physical Science Building Tuesday to communally find solutions to violence issues on-and-off campus. Darius Holland, the vice president for Phi Rho Eta fraternity, led the “Is Race the Issue?” panel discussion. The fraternity members also were the ones who hosted the discussion. Although Holland said the purpose of the meeting was not to focus specifically on the recent “Barn Party” shooting, the issue and its after-effects took center stage throughout most of the panel. Kendall Jackson, a junior family and consumer sciences major, said one solution to some of the violence would be better planning of the parties off campus. He said for a party the size of the “Barn Party,” more planning needed to be taken into account. “It goes for any organization having an event like this,” he said. Jackson added that when members of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity realized how many people would be attending, they should have reached out to different areas for more security. Jackson also spoke to the gathering about how things change every day for the university. “People want to misconstrue the highlights with the negatives,” he said. Jackson explained everything from Eastern’s football team doing well to Eastern jumping up
By Rosie Sacco Staff Reporter @DEN_News
Jason Howell | The Daily Eastern News
ABOVE: Darius Holland, a graduate student in technology department and the vice president of the Phi Rho Eta Fraternity, takes questions during the “Is Race the Issue?” panel discussion Tuesday in the Phipps Lecture Hall in the Physical Science Building. RIGHT:Kendall Jackson, a junior family and consumer sciences major, asks questions and voices his opinion during the “Is Race the Issue” panel discussion Tuesday in the Phipps Lecture Hall in the Physical Sciences Building.
in regional rankings was not all interconnected to the “Barn Party” incident. Students also conveyed irritation at the lack of metal detectors and security at everything but parties hosted at the Martin Luther
King Jr. University Union. Students who voiced their opinions about security at other functions declined to give their names for identification purposes. Spiraling off of the security at Union parties, a few of the people
at the panel expressed irritation at the Union parties being suspended – a decision sent out by Dan Nadler, the vice president for student affairs, on Sept. 17.
PANEL, page 5
FAMILY WEEKEND | ENTER TAINMENT
Cheap Trick to perform at Eastern By Marcus Curtis Entertainment Editor @DEN_News The pop, punk and metal band Cheap Trick will perform Saturday for students and their families at Lantz Arena for Family Weekend. Cheap Trick is recognized for blending elements from different genres such as pop, metal and even punk to create songs such as “Surrender,” “I Want You To Want Me,” and “In the Street,” also known as the theme song for the FOX original sitcom “That ‘70s Show.” Rick Neilsen, the lead guitarist for Cheap Trick, said he hopes that everyone in attendance has a good time. “Enjoy yourself, have fun,” Nielsen said. “Don’t hate us.” The other members of the
Submitted Photo
Cheap Trick will be performing at 8 p.m. Saturay in Lantz Arena. Cheap Trick is a rock band from Rockford and was formed in 1973.
band include Robin Zander, vocals and rhythm guitar; Tom Petersson, bass guitar; and Bun E. Carlos, drums.
Despite the fact that Cheap Trick is a band from the 1970s, Nielsen said that he and the band perform for everyone from differ-
ent ages and different music interests. “ We play to different people all the time, and we play a diverse range of things we do,” Nielsen said. “We have a lot of old fans that’s followed us forever, but then we have just as many new fans and kids that come to see us.” According to Nielson, Cheap Trick recently performed at a concert with a complete orchestra where they covered the Beatles’ “Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.” Nielsen said performing at colleges is a chance for him and Cheap Trick to make an impact on the students that travel from different areas of the country. Cheap Trick will be performing in Chicago before their performance at Eastern. CHEAP TRICK, page 5
The Student Action Team is looking to receive applicants to lobby with them on behalf of Eastern Illinois University in Springfield starting Oct. 23. Mitch Gurick, the student executive vice president who set up the team, said the Student Action Team raises awareness to causes important to students. The goal of the Student Action Team is to lobby for Eastern issues. Members will be working with students and Illinois’ legislatures alike for three main reasons: an increased budget for higher education, work on the Monetary Award Program grants and the growth of the proposed science building at Eastern. Specifically, the plan for the science building calls for an up-to-date facility where students and staff can study and work. The Life Sciences and Physical Sciences buildings are almost 80-years-old and have racked up $16 million in deferred maintenance. Gurick noted Eastern receives the lowest general revenue funding appropriation per full time equivalent student, despite having the highest freshman-to-sophomore retention rate and the second highest graduation rate among Illinois public master’s comprehensive universities. “The legislatures listen to students, they see that we are taking action,” Gurick said. “I want to get students with a passion for the university.” Before the creation of the Student Action Team, students within the senate created their own sub-groups to head to Springfield, Ill. From there, they would meet with Eastern alumni working in the state’s capitol. They have continuously lobbied with their mission of representing the expressed social and political interests of Eastern students, and they present those interests to the elected officials. Fighting for these current issues is not an easy task, Gurick said. “If the state does not provide more money for higher education, the cost will get passed to students,” he said. He has printed fliers, sent emails, spoken with the Black Student Union and will be speaking to a public relations class on why the need for student action is now. “I want to get the word out,” he said. As of today, there are currently 13 applicants, short of Gurick’s goal of 20. To be a part of the team, students do not need to be a part of the senate. The requirements are to be in good standing with the school, have a 2.5 GPA and attend the bimonthly meetings. Applications for the Student Action Team can found on the student government website. Rosie Sacco can be reached at 581-2812 or rcsacco@eiu.edu.