NOW SEATING
NAIL BITTER
Entertainment Editor Bob Galuski reviews the Charleston Community Theatre members’ performance of the comedy ‘Bus Stop.’
Men’s basketball fought back against Southeast Missouri to get its third win in a row.
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Daily E astern News
WWW.DAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM
THE
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
VOL.97 | ISSUE 89
MONDAY, January 28, 2013
CHARLESTON | VIOLENCE
EASTERN | SEXUAL ASSAULT
Shots fired at local bar Staff Report The Charleston Police Department responded to a large fight that broke out at the Penalty Box at about 3 a.m. Saturday. According to a press release sent out by the CPD early Saturday morning, there were shots fired during the fight, but no one was injured. Officers arrested Eastern student Dionte McWillis for aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. The fight came about from a large gathering of Eastern students “patronizing” the Penalty Box, according to the press release. The case is currently under investigation by the CPD.
LOC AL | WEATHER
PHOTOS BY DANNY DAMIANI | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Taylor Davis, a senior communication studies major, stands in front of the Doudna steps and begins a conversation with the crowd during a rally Friday. About 30 people attended the rally and signed their names on the steps to show their support for the messages written there over the past week.
Possible tornado, thunderstorm could dampen campus Tuesday Staff Report
Marjorie Worthington, an associate professor in the English department, signs her name on the Doudna steps as a crowd forms Friday.
Pieces of chalk lie on the Doudna steps before a rally Friday.
Student Body President Kaci Abolt listens to Taylor Davis’ speech at the rally.
Support, disapproval shown at second Doudna steps rally Editor’s Note: This is the third installment in a series of articles addressing the state of sexual assault on campus. By Seth Schroeder, Tim Deters and Chacour Koop Associate News Editor, Managing Editor and Special Projects Reporter Members of Eastern’s community met for a second rally at the Doudna steps at noon Friday to express their disapproval of Eastern’s administration for erasing a chalk message calling for help from an unnamed survivor of sexual assault. The erased message was written a week ago and originally consisted of capitalized letters written in multiple colors of chalk on the Doudna steps. It read,“MY RAPIST STILL GOES HERE… WILL SOMEONE PLEASE LISTEN TO ME?” and was scrubbed away under or-
ders from the Office of Student AfBranecki said she was appalled fairs Thursday with a brush and the original message was erased and soapy water. she no longer felt like part of the Before the rain Sunday, Eastern community. community members had chalked “I don’t feel like I’m EIU,” she new messages on the steps includ- yelled. “I think we should be afraid ing: “WE EXPECT TO WORK to tell people to come here.” O N A C A M P U S T H AT S U P Branecki said she thinks it is P O RTS V I C T I M S . W E W I L L bothersome that Eastern seemed to LISTEN,” cover up “YOU CAN the issue. ERASE “I sure THIS, IT Lorenza Branecki, Eastern student hope that STILL young HAPPENS!” woman “ S T O P S I L E N C I N G V I C - talked to someone,” she said. “It TIMS,” and “I WILL NOT BE SI- should have never been brushed LENCED.” under the rug.” Around these messages, more During the rally, one Eastern than 100 names were written in student climbed the concrete steps chalk on the Doudna steps by com- to address the crowd. munity members to show support Taylor Davis, a senior commufor survivors of sexual assault. nication studies major, said though One signature was from Lorenza he did not organize the rally, he Branecki, a senior music major. By thought it would be a waste if her name she wrote, “I hear you.” someone did not say something.
I don’t feel like I’m EIU.
From the steps, Davis asked the crowd why they had gathered there. Members of the crowd said they were there to support survivors of sexual assault, others said they were there to stop the silence. In re s p o n s e t o Da v i s’ q u e s tion, English professor Christopher Hanlon said, “Because I don’t think sexual assault is a PR problem.” Hanlon said there is a sense of radical disconnect between students and administrators. “Like most of my colleagues, I’m bothered that there are so many victims of sexual violence on this campus,” he said. “But I’m especially bothered by what strikes me as extraordinarily bad judgment on someone’s part in having a message written by an EIU student, someone who survived such an assault, erased.” RALLY, page 5
Though temperatures plummeted to five degrees last week, this week is predicted to see a drastic change in weather. Cameron Craig, a geographer and climatologist at Eastern, said the early days of the week will bring a “rollercoaster” of temperatures and weather changes. “The ice that some areas experienced (Sunday) is done and over with,” he said. “Now the big thing is that after these colder temperatures, we’re going to start seeing warm weather for the next couple of days.” Craig said there is a chance of thunderstorms on Tuesday, which may result in severe weather warnings throughout the region. “After we get up near 60 degrees on Tuesday, the temperatures will drop for the remainder of the work week,” he said. “We’ll be right back where we were last week.” Any time there is a risk of thunderstorms, there is also a risk of tornadoes, Craig said. “We can’t really predict it now because it’s so far off, but there’s certainly a possibility of severe weather,” he said. Craig said there is a chance of snow and ice on Wednesday, even though temperatures are expected to break 60 degrees on Tuesday. Damaging winds may occur, along with hail and a possible isolated tornado or two could occur in the region, Craig said. “This is definitely what we call a rollercoaster,” he said.