The Daily Northwestern — April 12, 2021

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The Daily Northwestern Monday, April 12, 2021

Best of Evanston

2 CITY/TDOV

Community reflects on Trans Day of Visibility

2021

4 OPINION

Police officers and mental health

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Residents struggle to secure vaccine slots Eligibility varied across the state prior to April 12

By WENDY KLUNK the daily northwestern @wklunk

Nick Francis/Daily Senior Staffer

Communication freshman Courtney Sullivan Wu shortly after receiving her first dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. Sullivan Wu got the shot after midnight Sunday morning.

A midnight chance for a vaccine NU announces a midnight vaccine clinic in an unexpected email

By ALEX PERRY and NICK FRANCIS the daily northwestern @nick24francis, @whoisalexperry

Scores of students rushed to Norris University Center in the middle of the night

NU acceptance rate falls to an all-time low Northwestern accepted 6.8 percent of the 47,633 firstyear applications received for the Class of 2025, according to University spokesperson Jon Yates.

This year’s acceptance rate is a steep decrease from the Class of 2024’s rate of 9.3 percent and marks the lowest in University history. The University received 2,855 transfer applications and expects to release results in May, Yates said.

From 2010 to 2018, the University saw a continuous decline in its acceptance rate, dropping from 23.1 percent to 8.4 percent. In the last two application cycles, this trend reversed. The classes of 2023 and 2024 saw acceptance rates of 8.9 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively.

The current acceptance rate of 6.8 percent is in part due to an increase in applications, as the University received about 8,730 more applications than last year.

NU isn’t the only institution that’s seen a decrease in acceptance rates this year. Among other top universities, Yale

» See ADMISSIONS, page 10 Recycle Me

Saturday for a chance to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

In an unexpected email sent at 9:29 p.m. Saturday night, the University notified on-campus students 169 unused PfizerBioNTech vaccines were available — and that appointments

started at midnight. The midnight vaccine clinic was held just days before Illinois opens up vaccines to all residents ages 16 and older.

Students who secured a vaccine slot were intermittently moved to the third floor

of Norris when their appointment time arrived. There, they filled out consent forms and were vaccinated by a team of 13 who set up the last-minute clinic, including staff from the

» See MIDNIGHT, page 10

W hen Chris Granner, 63, became eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine, he jumped on the opportunity to register through the city of Evanston’s website — but soon realized he was not going to find an appointment in Evanston, or at least not quickly.

After hearing Mayor Steve Hagerty’s recommendation to find vaccines elsewhere due to an insufficient allotment from the state, Granner tasked his daughter with finding him an appointment. She found an open slot in Quincy, Illinois — nearly a five hour drive from home. “ W hen she asked me, ‘Should I book the appointment for you?’ I considered for about five seconds, and said yes,” said Granner, who qualifies as part of the state’s 1B+ priority group.

Like Granner, many Evanston residents have faced difficulties finding appointments nearby — prompting

them to travel to clinics in less populated areas of the state, including Danville, which was previously accepting walk-in appointments to anyone over the age of 18.

Prior to April 12, vaccine appointments in Evanston have only been open to individuals 65 years and older, essential workers and individuals 16 years or older with preexisting health conditions, prompting the influx of travel for vaccinations. However, not all Evanston residents have the resources to take a day off and travel hours away to receive a vaccine.

As vaccine distribution across the greater Chicago area ramps up, residents have raised questions about accessibility and equity. As of March 30, first dose vaccines have been distributed to 34 percent of White Chicago residents, compared to 24 percent of Latinx residents, 20 percent of Black residents and 30 percent of Asian residents. Native American residents were not included in the city’s data.

Jennifer Kouba, associate director of development for Connections for the Homeless, said in an email Connections for the Homeless’

» See VACCINES, page 10

Vergara Miranda, Rodriguez run uncontested Teresa Vergara Miranda and Daniel Rodriguez prioritize transparency in ASG run

By EMMA ROSENBAUM the daily northwestern @emmacrosenbaum

In the second virtual election cycle in Associated Student Government history, SESP juniors Teresa Vergara Miranda and Daniel Rodriguez are running uncontested for president and vice president, respectively.

Later this week, the campaign will release their platform and participate in a town hall co-hosted by For Members Only, Northwestern’s Black Student Alliance. The voting period will start Thursday and end Saturday.

Vergara Miranda is leader of Alianza, NU’s Latinx Student Alliance, and Advancement for the Undocumented Community at NU. She also works on ASG’s finance committee and was a senator as a freshman.

Rodriguez, ASG’s current executive officer of justice and inclusion, has worked with Vergara Miranda at Alianza. Vergara Miranda said they share similar backgrounds, which helped shape their campaign

platforms. “(Rodriguez) and I just share so much personally,” Vergara Miranda said. “We’re from Chicago, immigrant families, Latinos at Northwestern, firstgeneration college students, low-income. I like to think of us as a little power team because of our identities and our ideas that we want to bring forth.”

Their platform focuses on centering student voices and experiences, expanding student representation and committing to transparency on a number of issues. Vergara Miranda and Rodriguez said they are also passionate about addressing issues affecting marginalized communities.

Centering student voices and transparency

Daily file illustration by Yunkyo Kim

Rodriguez said one of the biggest issues facing students is the transition to normalcy following the pandemic. He said the pair wants to ensure that student voices are heard as the University considers what the 2021-22 academic year will look like. The slate said Northwestern’s decisions

Vergara Miranda and Rodriguez said they hope their platform encourages more students to get involved in ASG.

are not always representative of students, specifically around choices for academics and academic flexibility.

Vergara Miranda and Rodriguez have discussed the possibilities of expanding Credit/ No Credit and changing grading and attendance policies,

they said. The two also hope to create a committee of students to work with the Office of Community Standards on COVID-19 safety compliance, since the current system relies on using campus policies and having students report violations. Rodriguez said many

students do not want to engage with the police or report others.

Their platform also seeks to prioritize community safety, Vergara Miranda said. This may look like increasing student

» See ASG, page 10

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 10 | Sports 12

2

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

AROUND TOWN

Community ref lects on Trans Day of Visibility

By MOLLY LUBBERS daily senior staffer @mollylubbers

When Evanston resident Noé Nelli was 13, a stranger misgendered them. But when Nelli corrected the woman, they said, all they got in response was a weird look.

At the time, Nelli said they were confident about being trans. They said they always corrected people who used wrong pronouns and talked about how gender presentation didn’t have to reflect gender identity.

“Not now, but over time, I stopped being like that,” they said. “I was bullied and whatnot by peers and adults so I hid a lot of myself and I tried to be very palatable to cis people.

I was always trying to be more masculine, and I stopped wearing nail polish and makeup and I stopped doing things that made me happy when I was 13.”

At 18 years old, Nelli said they would want to ask advice from their younger self — to get the chance to talk to the person who was bold, before society made them realize being visibly trans could come with danger. Still, Nelli said they don’t blame themselves for the changes in their behavior, since they were a form of selfprotection from a transphobic society.

The concept of “visibility” itself carries complex meanings for trans individuals, and no one person has the same experience. Nearly a decade after the first Trans Day of Visibility in 2009, which was intended to be a day of awareness and celebration, local community members are reflecting on the nuances of visibility and its impacts.

Northwestern senior Dakota Gipson said having to pass as a cis woman is problematic as a concept, but essential to her survival. She grew up in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago, which she said is very anti-trans.

“I feel like I don’t really celebrate it, except for within my own heart,” she said. “I talk about it with people (and) I’m very much not shy with sharing it. But of course, in my neighborhood

Illustration by Meher Yeda

Local community members reflect on the nuances of visibility in trans communities.

if I went home, I might literally die for doing that.”

Gipson isn’t being hyperbolic — Black trans women are disproportionately impacted by anti-trans violence. At least 19 of the 37 people killed by anti-trans violence in 2020 were Black women, according to a Human Rights Campaign report. Having to protect herself can feel heavy sometimes, Gipson said, but she also feels liberated by her identity. She’s proud of being trans, and particularly, of being a Black trans woman. She said it was incredibly special for her to realize that she is her mother’s daughter through-and-through.

“Even though I’m not really respected as a trans person in my own household, I do appreciate that I can carry on that next generation of Black womanhood,” Gipson said. “It’s really an honor to me, plus I just love (my mother) so much, so it’s really cool to mirror that but also

be my own person.”

Gipson also shared this story about her mother at a virtual Trans Day of Visibility event last week, organized by NU Rainbow Alliance and Evanston Public Library. Exhibits and Creative Programming Library Assistant Halka said ze helped plan the event to bring people together, while also knowing that visibility can be a “double-edged sword.”

“Historically, (TDOV) has been a day to make sure that people are able to not forget that trans people exist and fall into the woodwork,” ze said. “Now moving forward, it really can be moving past visibility and moving towards cohesion and celebration and building together towards how we’d like to be regarded instead of just being seen.”

Halka said the Evanston LGBTQ+ community seems relatively fragmented and hopes holding events like this will encourage residents

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to get together and share power and resources.

While ze said holidays can be a helpful touchstone, Halka also believes creating space on a more regular basis is important.

This shift toward engaging with each other — rather than necessarily being visible to cis people — is an idea shared by Northwestern graduate student Erique Zhang. At the same time, Zhang recognized the power of connecting with other trans people due to their own visibility.

On this year’s TDOV, Zhang said an undergraduate student emailed them to say how inspiring it was to see a trans person doing trans research in their department. Before that point, Zhang said they hadn’t realized they could be a role model for others. Zhang said it took them longer to figure out their identity because they saw few portrayals of trans people, and when they did, representation was often inaccurate.

“For a long time, it was like, ‘Oh, that can’t be what I am because I’m not that stereotype of a trans person,’” they said. “That’s one of the ways that there’s value in visibility — it’s giving younger people an image of transness so that they can see, yes, trans people look like this, or trans people have these experiences.”

For Nelli, being out at a young age brought its own struggles, but being around other trans people helped. During Nelli’s freshman and sophomore years of high school, they said they went “stealth,” pretending to be a cis boy in order to stay safe.

It felt like the opposite of celebration, Nelli said. In contrast, they said the trans spaces they’ve been in have provided a liberating feeling.

“I’m most myself and most relaxed,” they said.

“I feel very free. I can just not even think about my presentation. I don’t have to think about my voice or anything. I don’t have a lot of dysphoria — for me, dysphoria is kind of a weird awareness of my body. But I don’t feel that when I’m around other trans folks. I just don’t feel like I have to be aware of my body at all.” mollylubbers2023@u.northwestern.edu

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MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

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3

ON CAMPUS

NU admin talk return to campus, vaccines

The Daily Northwestern

www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Sneha Dey

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By YUNKYO KIM daily senior staffer @yunkyomoonk

General Manager Stacia Campbell

University administrators announced plans for in-person instruction in Fall Quarter and are still considering a vaccination mandate.

Currently, less than half of faculty and staff are vaccinated, they reported at a Thursday event.

University President Morton Schapiro, Provost Kathleen Hagerty, Vice President for Operations Luke Figora and senior administrators discussed campus return strategy and vaccinations in Thursday’s “Conversation with the President and University Leadership” event. The over 400 community members in attendance could ask panelists questions via the chat function on Zoom.

University leadership shared that Northwestern plans on in-person instruction in the fall. Summer term classes, at this time, are set to be held remotely with some socially distanced in-person research and other activities.

“Everything is subject to the constraints of public health and safety so that’s part of it that we cannot control, but we are planning for it,” Hagerty said. “Now, whether or not we’re able to do as we plan is we have to see how the world evolves.”

The University will also monitor updates to international policy for access to visas, she added.

NU is still debating whether to mandate vaccinations for students returning to campus in the fall. Figora said leadership continues to monitor Illinois vaccine rollout strategy, but that there are no decisions at this time.

“We feel hesitant to make that decision until we know a little bit more,” Figora said.

“We will keep (the NU community) updated as those decisions are made.”

In the past week, Brown University and Northeastern University announced that students were required to be vaccinated to return to campus, joining Cornell University, Rutgers University and other educational institutions

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Daily file photo by Evan Robinson-Johnson

University leadership shared that Northwestern plans on in-person instruction in the fall.

that now require vaccinations.

As it currently stands, less than half of NU faculty and staff are vaccinated, Figora reported. On top of this, because the University does not have direct access to Illinois vaccine stock, it receives a “pretty low” supply of doses per week that range from 200 to 400.

“We would love to make the commitment to vaccinate all students by the end of the term,” he added. “We’ve got the infrastructure in place, the staffing in place (and) the space to do that. We just don’t have the vaccine supply right now.”

Furthermore, the University only has access to the Moderna vaccine, not Pfizer, and likely expects to receive delivery of Johnson &

Johnson doses soon, he added.

Schapiro said that faculty and staff do really care for NU students. In his 42 years of teaching undergraduates, he has never witnessed such a high level of stress toward courses and post-graduation job security, he said.

The good news, Schapiro said, is that return to normal is possible.

“I am always optimistic and I always think going back more than a year ago that this is going to pass,” Schapiro said. “We all wait for the new normal, but we seem to be a little bit elusive, but I think we are getting closer and closer.” yunkyokim2022@u.northwestern.edu

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MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com DUELING COLUMNS

Are our police officers How police officers hurt in a mental health crisis? everybody’s mental health ANTHONY HOLLAND

OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

It is extremely difficult to look back on 2020 and not define it as one of the most polarizing, contentious and exigent years in recent history. A wave of a crippling pandemic, civil unrest, heavy talks on discrimination, and an unpleasant presidential election left the nation more divided. The erosion of relations between the police and communities throughout the country has continued as an unabated headline following a tightening lens as a nation demanded justice for the likes of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd and so many others.

In the conversations surrounding police defunding and brutality, a major narrative being missed was an uptick in suicide among law enforcement officers. That figure has been on the incline since 2016, prompting ABC News to publish appalling figures indicating more police officers died by suicide than in the line of duty since 2019. Officer safety — and national security — remains sidelined as anti-police rhetoric trends, contributing to an increase in post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, alcoholism, and other unhealthy coping mechanisms. These have led to underlying psychological trauma, like an increase of about 100 reported self-inflicted officer deaths from 2016 to 2019.

In a profession where one takes an oath to protect and serve, no recruit undertakes this experience without the expectations of imminent danger. But, little is being done to emphasize the humanity of those officers and mentally protect them from the trauma of consistently being the first to arrive at distressing scenes, disasters and episodes of violence. Many have grown to associate withstanding these things as becoming a tougher or more seasoned cop, but research and statistics prove the opposite.

In March, Chicago Police Department struggled with the suicide of one veteran officer in the Town Hall patrol district in Lakeview, Ill. Days later, another officer died by suicide, prompting age-old questions regarding the stigmas of seeking mental health assistance within police agencies. In a division that has seen at least 10 officer deaths by suicide since 2018, as reported by the Chicago SunTimes, more Chicago police officers have reported seeking mental health assistance.

But this still leaves a resonating question: How we are tackling this issue as a nation when, as NPR reported, more than 30 officers have already died by suicide three months into 2021? The silence surrounding mental health and our law enforcement officers is deafening, as statistics increasingly show dehumanized coping techniques and self-destructive patterns in

the interpersonal lives of many. However, only three to five percent of 18,000 United States law enforcement agencies implementing or creating suicide prevention programs or counseling services, according to the Ruderman Family Foundation, leaving this as a reactive issue for many agencies.

Through research analysis of police, culture reports show that many officers continue to unwittingly perpetuate a negative connotation with seeking mental support.

Exploration of police culture suggests that emotion or being impacted by things can make them be viewed as “weak,” initiating the depersonalization, solivagant behavior or emotional numbing. This in turn also attributes to the erosion of many officers’ relationships and the cynicism which develops following consistent exposure to the woes of society which many will never experience.

Like many communities, law enforce-

”

The silence surrounding mental health and our law enforcement officers is deafening.

- ANTHONY HOLLAND, graduate student ment is no different in facing pervasive gaps in mental health and wellness. However, law enforcement agencies need and deserve the support in developing these programs, as good mental health is essential in aiding and keeping our country and communities safe. As society stereotypes and negatively labels an entire profession, wellness programs intended to support this ostracized population seem like they’re not being prioritized, contributing to the silence surrounding this pressing issue and the dehumanization of law enforcement officers in mainstream society. Though no words can absolve the unspeakable actions of a few, as we demand better quality from our local law enforcement, do we not believe it can start with the mental wellness of those sworn to protect us?

If you are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273TALK (8255), or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

Anthony Holland is a graduate student at Northwestern. Holland can be contacted at anthonyholland2023@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

The Daily Northwestern Volume 144, Issue 02

Editor in Chief Sneha Dey Managing Editors Jacob Fulton Isabelle Sarraf Sophia Scanlan Haley Fuller LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@ dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily office.

Letters have the following requirements: • Should be typed • Should be double-spaced • Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number.

Opinion Editors Kenny Allen Alex Chun Assistant Opinion Editor Aidan Ocampo

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Letters, columns and cartoons contain the opinion of the authors, not Students Publishing Co. Inc. Submissions signed by more than three people must include at least one and no more than three names designated to represent the group.

KENNY ALLEN AND ELIZA GONRING

OPINON EDITOR, OP-ED CONTRIBUTOR

In response to Mr. Holland’s column on April 12th, 2021: The prison-industrial complex, for which police are foot soldiers, is responsible for the current reality of mental health treatment in this country. Deinstitutionalization, a phenomenon that started in the 1950s, has served to rid our country of long-term mental health care options. According to NPR, private mental health hospitals can cost up to $30,000 per month, leaving those without the resources few alternatives. As these private hospitals do not accept insurance, low-income individuals seeking treatment must rely on Medicaid, but the federal government is not allowed to pay for long-term care in an institution.

Through personal experience, we are well aware that outside of the community stepping up, the only two institutions that offer help during a mental health crisis are emergency rooms or the police. Those are costly, dangerous and inadequate solutions. Those who are hospitalized are often re-admitted, and it is common for individuals to be hospitalized 20 times in a 10 year period. These rates show their ineffectiveness at providing care and the need for long-term facilities.

Due to the rate at which cops are called upon during mental health crises, two million people with serious mental illness are jailed every year. In addition, the National Alliance on Mental Illness has found that two in five incarcerated people have a history of mental illness, less than half of people with mental illness receive treatment while in jails and one in four people shot by police have had a mental health condition. Coming into contact with police during a mental health crisis could result in death or incarceration, yet people in need of resources often have little choice. The incarceration of those with mental illness has come in tandem with deinstitutionalization.

The percentage of those incarcerated with serious mental illness rose from .7 percent in 1880 to 21 percent in 2005.

The lack of mental health care for Black and low-income communities maintains the prison industrial complex by funneling people who need help into prisons and jails. This country’s reliance on carceral solutions is the reason we do not have mental health structures. Deinstitutionalization was intended to be conducted with the strengthening of community-based mental health systems. Instead, people are left with few options outside of the police. Even at an institution with a lot of resources like Northwestern, police were used to transport students to the emergency room when they deemed it “necessary” to initiate a process of forced hospitalization.

It is well known that prisons and police are weapons used by the state to control Black, brown and poor populations. It is no coincidence that the rates of mental health service use are among the lowest in Black populations and among the highest in White populations.

The United States’ primary relationship with Black people is one of policing, even in matters unrelated to “crime.” For this country to provide adequate mental health services, police and prisons would need to be abolished and resources put toward community-based solutions.

If one believes that cops are asked to do too much and suffer from poor mental health because of it, then we’re on the same page.

Asking people with guns to handle all of our public safety concerns is clearly not a strategy that’s working out. We should not accept it as a given that police officers have to constantly respond to stressful situations, especially when many of those situations could be avoided if we invested in public safety outside of policing.

The violence that cops experience while on the job is incomparable to the violence and the trauma — both physical and mental — that they cause. Cops are empowered to commit violence against people on a scale that

would, rightfully, be treated as a crisis if done by a group of civilians. For example, the value of goods taken via asset forfeiture — wherein police are allowed to seize personal property without a criminal conviction or warrant — has now surpassed that of burglaries.

Here are some local examples of how police terrorize civilians: — Twelve officers in Chicago are being sued for raiding a woman’s house on a warrant approved with the wrong address. While raiding her home with guns, she was forcibly cuffed naked in front of them.

— The Chicago Police Department has received a lawsuit for raiding a child’s fourth birthday party, during which they ransacked the home, poured hydrogen peroxide on the presents, and handcuffed the adults. The person they were looking for had no relation to the current tenants and had moved five years ago.

— In “We Do This ‘Til We Free Us,” Mariame Kaba notes, “The ACLU of Illinois says that last summer, based on population, Chicago police made ‘far more street stops than New York City police did at the height of their use of stop-and-frisk. The CPD stopped more than 250,000 innocent people.’”

— Northern Illinois Police Alarm System officers intimidated NU student protesters reading abolitionist literature together and used chemical weapons on them at a Halloween demonstration. Texts later showed officers saying their “trigger finger was itching” and expressing disappointment that they couldn’t shatter a protester’s kneecap.

What human has the authority to inflict the level of violence police inflict on the public?

By virtue of their jobs, police are empowered to harm people in myriad ways and are systemically protected from consequences. Cops routinely engage in violent behavior, leading to severe trauma for the communities that are regularly on the receiving end.

Police officers may believe their jobs to be dangerous, but that doesn’t make it true.

Although being a police officer is more dangerous than the average occupation, construction workers, trash collectors, and roofers all have higher rates of fatal injuries. Even though cops have a perception that their work is dangerous, they often don’t take measures to ensure their safety. For instance, in most years, the leading cause of death for police is getting into a car crash with no seat belt. Despite the obvious danger of speeding without a seatbelt, a study by California’s Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training found that 42 percent of officers killed in car accidents weren’t wearing seatbelts.

Police officers are often trained to have the impression that any interaction they have with the public could immediately escalate into violence. A leaked “warrior” training from the Kentucky State Police last year provides an example. This training emphasized “ruthlessness,” an ability “to meet violence with greater violence,” and a value system that “eliminates hesitation.” In addition, throughout their training, cops are frequently asked to picture scenarios where they make split second decisions between killing someone or being killed.

It’s possible that a police officer will have to make that decision in their career. However, when training is oriented around the idea that any interaction with a civilian may turn fatal, cops come to think that their world is consumed by danger and that their only way to protect themselves is with preemptive violence.

We also can’t pretend that being a police officer is something one is born or forced into.

Most cops even say that they wouldn’t recommend their job to their children. If cops are sick of the trauma associated with their jobs — unlike the people they terrorize — they can quit.

Kenny Allen and Eliza Gonring are Weinberg and SESP seniors, respectively. Allen can be contacted at kenneth@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com.

The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

5

Schapiro discusses his tenure and Northwestern’s future

By YUNKYO KIM daily senior staffer @yunkyomoonk

In mid-March, members of The Daily interviewed University President Morton Schapiro on diversification of admissions, divestment and his legacy. Schapiro said he looked forward to the future of the University, but that he had no control over the decisions the Board of Trustees made. University spokesperson Jeri Ward was present. This interview was lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

The Daily: You recently announced plans to conclude your tenure in August of 2022, which was decided back in 2014. Did recent events have any bearing on you or the Board of Trustees’ decision to not extend the contract?

Schapiro: It was absolutely confirmed in July 2019 at the beginning of my final three years — and now I still have, God willing, another year and a half — but it’s been in order. You really need to know this far in advance, because you have to plan the timing of the campaign and timing of a lot of other things.

The Daily: Under your tenure, Northwestern became one of the top 10 ranked universities in the country. You noted in your March 4 message to the community that our current undergraduate admissions rate is below 7 percent, and that the University saw similar gains and selectivity across graduate and professional school programs.

How do you balance gains in such selectivity with calls for more inclusivity and diversity in the

Illinois residents 16 and older now eligible for COVID-19 vaccine Starting Monday, all Illinois residents ages 16 and older outside of Chicago will become eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of the state expansion to Phase 2 of vaccinations.

The Illinois Department of Public Health will make available 150,000 new first-dose

admissions process?

Schapiro: I particularly am a very big fan of public high schools, having gone to one and really caring about those schools, particularly Evanston Township High School, and the public schools, magnet and non-magnet, from Chicago. I read a lot of files from public high schools. And the good news is that many of them are lower-income, so we’re able to continue that commitment to Pell eligibility, or they have other racial backgrounds that allow us to be more diverse.

When you’re really selective, you can come together with any class you want. So, it’s tremendous potential now that we’re one of the most selective schools in the world.

The Daily: You said you are regularly meeting with any Northwestern community members interested in discussing police abolition. Since then you’ve been having conversations with students. How has that influenced your approach to policing on campus?

Schapiro: There certainly has been a lot of discussion on abolition. People have been very generous with their advice about, you know, podcasts and books and lectures. I continue to educate myself and learn more and more about it.

We’ve also made changes. We don’t typically do safety checks with armed police anymore.

Graphic by Yunkyo Kim

University President Morton Schapiro. The Daily interviewed University President Morton Schapiro on diversification of admissions, divestment and his legacy as he prepares to conclude his tenure in 2022.

The Daily: Does the University have any plans to divest from fossil fuels?

Schapiro: I think it’s extremely important.

That said, I have absolutely no role in the investment and the endowment. I have a lot of roles as President, but approving the avail off the endowment — the total amount we take each

year — that’s the Board’s call. That’s a prerogative of the board and they exercise that prerogative.

I don’t have responsibility. I don’t have authority. But that said, you know, when I interviewed Amy Falls in particular, we had a long, substantive discussion about fossil fuels and a whole range of different things.

The Daily: What role will you play in choosing

your successor?

Schapiro: If the search committee wants to meet with me, not to talk about candidates, which I will never do, but if they want to talk in general about what I think it’s important to be a successful president, I’ll do it.

vaccination appointments at the 11 state-run mass vaccination sites and area pharmacies in Cook and Collar counties, according to an April 8 news release from the office of Governor J.B. Pritzker.

While Chicago is not expanding eligibility until April 19, the city’s residents can get vaccinated at suburban sites.

Evanston residents can sign up to get a vaccine through the city’s Vaccine Interest Form, as well as the Cook County Community Vaccination Program. Retail providers are also providing

vaccinations.

While some Cook County residents were notified that they were eligible under Phase 2 starting April 8, only a few vaccination sites in the county had open appointments for this group prior to April 12. The county will hold vaccination events open for all residents in Phase 2, though Evanston intends to continue prioritizing vaccination events by age, starting with residents 60 and older.

As of April 9, all Evanston residents qualifying under Phase 1A, 1B and 1B+ had the

opportunity to receive at least one vaccine dose.

The city estimates 93 percent of Evanston residents 65 and older have received at least their first dose, which is above the national and state figures of 76 and 72 percent, respectively, as of April 6. Sixty-five percent of senior residents are fully vaccinated.

The city also reported 51 percent of Evanston residents 16 and older as having received at least one dose, with 24 percent fully vaccinated.

yunkyokim2022@u.northwestern.edu

— Angeli Mittal

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6 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

The Daily Northwestern

BEST OF EVANSTON 21 20

Each year, we celebrate the vibrant economy in our city — we’re always so appreciative of the business owners and employees that help make Evanston unique. But this year, we couldn’t proceed as if things were business as usual.

As we prepared to launch our surveys, we realized some longtime BOE winners weren’t going to be options anymore. Since our last Best of Evanston, the city’s landscape has changed dramatically as a result of COVID-19. In recognition of that, we wanted to commemorate just a few of the dozens of local businesses that have shuttered their doors since the beginning of the pandemic.

In my time at The Daily, I’ve had the chance to cover all sorts of Evanston retailers, and I’ve seen firsthand the impact they’ve had on the community. As I’ve watched their numbers dwindle over the last 13 months, I’ve remembered the stories I’ve been told about each of them. This year, we’ve collected a handful of the stories our staff has about some of the locations we’ve lost. In reading them, I hope you remember the impact local businesses have had on your life.

More than just remembering, I also hope you take this chance to celebrate the amazing businesses that have survived the pandemic so far. We still have five categories you voted on, and I’d encourage you to take a trip to visit the winners to learn more about what makes them so impactful. Once you visit them, find other small businesses to venture to next — because they’re an integral part of what keeps Evanston so amazing. And they need your help to survive.

— Jacob Fulton, Best of Evanston editor

Chicken Shack BEST DRUNCHIES

Livers, gizzards, fries, oh my! Evanston Chicken Shack is perfect for anybody looking for deep-fried mains with a heavy-handed side of crinkle cut fries.

The homely restaurant, located at 1925 Ridge Avenue, is just a few minutes west from campus and boasts an extensive spread of fried catfish, chicken and vegetables, all available past midnight 6 days a week.

For students from the South, the chicken is a pleasant return to crunchy, crispy, oil-drenched and floured-up goodness. For others, it’s an introduction to how soul food should be done: hot, messy and stuffed into a paper takeaway box. Customers can peek inside the kitchen to see authentic fried chicken that is freshly floured and deeply fried upon ordering.

The first time I visited Evanston Chicken Shack

with soul food virgins. I pointed at the marquee board menu, plucked a paper clip-art brochure from the counter and told them that this is what soul food really is. It’s where students find out that it’s normal to eat spaghetti and garlic bread with fried chicken and fried catfish. It’s also where students fight over whether gizzards and livers are appropriate for a midnight snack.

But fear not — if meat and chicken entrails makes you squeamish, there are plenty of alternatives. Patrons can also order classic sides like mac n’ cheese, spaghetti, and warm buttermilk buns. And you’re feeling particularly indulgent, there’s a daily rotation of cheesecake for dessert.

And remember: don’t forget the hot sauce.

— Alex Perry

Tomate Fresh Kitchen BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUC K

There are few news events that have spread across Northwestern Twitter quite like the time Tomate Fresh Kitchen announced it was closing, then reopening, then delaying re-opening, then officially opening once again. The Noyes joint, famous in Evanston for its well-portioned burritos, has a unique hold on undergrads and community members compared to the area’s other Latin restaurants.

I am ashamed to admit I came to know Tomate only after moving from deep South Campus to an apartment near Foster-Walker during my senior year.

I had long heard about the delicious burritos and tacos, but never challenged myself to actually try it.

But after just the first bite I took into the pillowy soft tortilla, sharply salted carne asada, fluff y rice, thick beans and mild red salsa, I was hooked. You would think that first taste is the best, but true fans know that every bite contains a bit of heaven, down to the last ends of the tortilla.

For those who haven’t had the chance to be floored by a great plate of food in a while, I highly recommend the asada, chiles relleno or fried tofu burritos, although you really can’t go wrong with any of the available options. Treat yourself to an horchata or a Jarritos to wash down your food. As we saw in the cold, dark weeks before the restaurant’s March re-opening, Tomate’s menu is a gift that we cannot take for granted.

In Evanston, I don’t use the Spanish pronunciation of my name very often. But every time I walk to the counter to pick up my weighted bag of burritos, tacos and chips and say the order is for “Mah-ree-sa,” I feel that much more enveloped by the warmth Mexican American food always brings me.

Daily file photos by Zoe Malin (top left), Lauren Duquette (bottom left), Anushuya Thapa (top right), Brian Meng (middle right), Joshua Hoffman (bottom right)

— Marissa Martinez

BEST RESTAURANT

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

HIDDEN GEM

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

7

Bookends and Beginnings My friends have to keep an eye on me whenever I enter a local bookstore, for fear that I will leave with more books — and significantly less in my wallet. Bookends & Beginnings, tucked in an alley off Sherman Avenue, is no exception.

Bookends is everything an indie bookstore is supposed to be: cozy and warm with wooden floors groaning under the weight of the books, every empty crevice filled with merchandise boasting literary puns.

Founded by Nina Barrett (Medill ‘87), the store is every book lover’s dream. You can find everything from brand-new hardcovers to classics, children’s books to biographies. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, the friendly employees will happily find it or try to order it for you.

Bennison’s Bakery I took my first trip to Bennison’s Bakery last fall. The line wrapped around the corner and the wait lasted for 20 minutes — a short line for a Saturday morning, I later learned. The crowd was hushed, almost reverent.

The bakery, a family-owned establishment that smells like magic and sounds like an old movie, has been around since 1938. Warm light glows from within the bakery; the tall, retro neon sign posted over its entrance feels nostalgic. Glazed croissants, pastries dusted with powdered sugar, rich cakes and bursting tarts beckon. I once tried to count the number of treats on display in the bakery’s windows to pass the time in that long line, but I Iost track after I hit 150.

My Italian pastry chef grandfather raised me on fresh

And Bookends hasn’t just survived the pandemic — it’s thrived. Barrett opened up a new storefront right on Sherman Avenue in early 2021, full of fun cards, socks, puzzles and other treasures.

It’s the perfect escape from the stressors of everyday life: a cozy respite on a snowy winter day, and a fun stop on a sunny walk in the spring.

Even amid a rainstorm or after a tough week of class, it’s impossible to be unhappy while inside Bookends. There’s always something to put a smile on your face, whether it’s finding a funny T-shirt or spotting your favorite childhood picture book.

Bookends and Beginnings is one of Evanston’s crown jewels, so make sure to stop in and shop local.

— Haley Fuller

home-baked cannolis, spice cookies and danishes — but Doug Spoto has some serious competition here. The pumpkin donut I bought on my first visit to the bakery was life-changingly good.

The ambiance? Even better. I’m now a regular.

When I think of Bennison’s, I think of community. Friends have met me to exchange Bennison’s donuts in the pouring rain, our paper bags soaked but our donuts still miraculously intact. I’ve taken dates to the bakery, caught up with acquaintances in that long, long line and even taken refuge from the wind tunnel that is Maple Avenue within Bennison’s doors.

In every way, Bennison’s is an unparalleled establishment - and if you don’t believe me, meet me there.

BEST DESSERT

— Maia Spoto

In Memoriam La Macchina Café was a jack of all trades, tickling the senses of Orrington Avenue with aromatic and mouth-watering autentica cucina Italiana, lively jazz on weekday evenings and a vintagely playful pub-meets-wine-bar ambiance.

It was a venue for families, couples, foodies, musicians and students alike, possessing an astonishing ability to transport our wayward souls to Rome by day (and something resembling a Big Ten town by night).

I pity the Wildcats who will never taste the sweet sausage and perfectly cooked eggs of a La Macc “Boozy Brunch,” where the orange juice for the mimosas runs out almost immediately but the André flows perpetually. They will never know the anxious thrill of being dragged to an a cappella concert in the dimly-lit underbelly of

La Macchina Café

Unicorn Cafe

Andy’s Frozen Custard

Panera Bread

your restaurant. They will never have their life flash before their eyes after a behemoth football player accidentally bumps them off the booth they were both dancing on. And they will never bite into a pillowy gnocchi on a cold winter quarter evening, thankful for your delicious takeout.

On my very first night of college, I entered your crowded doors with nothing more than a mere Wildcard, facing a lawless terrain of blaring club music, randomly elevated surfaces and dancing first-years packed together. I will never forget the smell — sweat, watered-down vodka, and possibility (with a hint of sottocenere al tartufo). On the alignment chart, you fell perfectly into the category of chaotic good in a city that consistently ranks in the neutral evil category. In just eight years, you left a mark that will be felt in perpetuity.

To La Macc — I raise a forkful of Ravioli di Zucca Mantovani and a glass of champagne (with a drop of Tropicana) to you. Sogni d’oro, amore.

— Daisy Conant

In winters past, Unicorn Cafe’s wide, foggy windows served as an invitation into the Evanston mainstay’s toasty interior. Though the haze often masked the independent coffee shop’s contents to outside eyes, upon entry, students could be sure to receive a warm cup of joe, a tasty baked treat and free WiFi. But not this winter.

After nearly 30 years in Evanston, Unicorn Cafe’s oncefogged windows remain clear, now offering only a glimpse into the sadly familiar sight of an abandoned storefront.

When Unicorn Cafe’s doors officially closed in September, amid the pandemic-driven recession and after

concerns of dwindling city support for independent businesses, Downtown Evanston lost not only a coffeehouse, but a communal space.

The musical talents of Northwestern students occasionally reverberated off those big windows, filling Unicorn Cafe with the sounds of whichever open mic the store happened to be hosting that particular weekend.

Its cozy atmosphere, ample seating and seasonal drinks also made it a prime study spot before the pandemic hit.

When news of its closure broke, one Twitter account recalled the shop as the University marching band’s “goto spot” for coffee before practice, just one of many who

Picture this: you’re a college freshman failing Spanish 101-1.

After you cry into your pillow, questioning your choices in life that have led you here, how do you convince yourself that attending Northwestern wasn’t a mistake? Do you: A) make friends B) change your major or C) go get a frozen custard?

If you chose C, you chose right. Andy’s Frozen Custard, the unchallenged owner of the Best of Evanston dessert slot for six years, lent itself to ten beautiful years in Evanston before closing in April 2020. The desert chain was arguably THE most popular Evanston restaurant among students –– it was certainly my most visited place in the city –– and a quintessential part of Northwestern culture.

Andy’s was a short walk from campus, ready for you to duck in and grab a pick-me-up. The store sold sundaes, but its claim to fame were its Concretes, mounds of frozen custard blended with

When I was constantly ill my freshman year, only one restaurant had the comfort food I needed to get me through it: Panera Bread. I cannot begin to express the excessive amount of broccoli cheddar soup I consumed swaddled within my twin XL sheets. But nothing so satisfying comes without a price.

In my case, the price was food poisoning.

lamented the loss on social media. After the well-loved cafe brewed its last pot of coffee, many realized just how short their time with Unicorn had been.

Students can still choose from a wide array of coffeehouses off and around campus — but none quite like Unicorn Cafe.

As the name suggests, Unicorn Cafe captured a unique spirit not found among the city’s selection of other shops, both independent and chain. There may never be another Unicorn, but its memory will live on in those who graced those small, circular tables with a cup of coffee and a mountain of work.

— James Pollard

toppings. Each one, from queer icon BootDaddy to the strawberryblended Snowmonster was a top tier snack, perfect for eating your feelings with. Trekking through snow to get to Andy’s and sitting on the wooden bench at the back of the store, eating your Concrete under the weirdly harsh fluorescent lighting was a pivotal Evanston experience.

Unlike most business shutdowns last year, Andy’s didn’t close because of the pandemic –– the chain opted not to renew its lease when it expired. I mourn for the freshman who never got to experience Evanston with it, and as I prepare for graduation, I remember the times I turned to Andy’s when it felt like my life was falling apart.

Andy’s was a reliable king, and although the store abandoned us in a time of need, I don’t think I’d have survived Northwestern without it.

Yes, every single time I went to Panera, I left feeling worse than I had before. I could never exactly pinpoint which item was the culprit, but something tells me it didn’t matter. Did that stop me from going back? No. Call it a college student’s juice cleanse.

A sad reminder of the lack of affordable dining options in Evanston for a college student’s budget, I lament the loss of Panera. It was a satisfying escape from the dining hall, and I appreciated the walkability and familiarity of the restaurant.

— Wilson Chapman

Still, I wouldn’t say I was really shocked that Panera closed.

Two and a half stars on Yelp don’t reveal much love for the Evanston location, but the loss is tragic nonetheless. A part of me misses my Fuji Apple Salad with Chicken, a simple meal that also reminded me of many take-out nights at home.

My stomach, however? It’s probably grateful.

— Meher Yeda

8 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

Barnes & Noble

Burger King

Century 12

Whiskey Theif

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

My doomsday instinct didn’t kick in when my dorm shut down last March when Andy’s closed, or even when my family started rationing toilet paper.

No, the real end times didn’t begin until the Evanston Barnes & Noble closed late last April. I still don’t know what my college life is without triweekly trips behind the wood-paneled pearly gates.

Let me take all of the pretension one might expect from me in a rousing defense of independent bookstores, and instead channel it into the following statement: Barnes & Noble is an emotion,

not a chain. There’s something so soothing about having one no matter where I go. The lighting pushes fluorescence to its warmest tones. The benches in the magazine section are prime people-watching territory. The teen section is nostalgically underwhelming. It’s like a portal to a world designed by Ramona Quimby, in collaboration with your favorite English teacher and your therapist.

And so, dear Barnes & Noble, thank you for letting me smuggle Colectivo lattes into your café for marathon study sessions. Thank you for letting me hide among the nonfiction shelves for Zen breathing between interviews.

Thank you for teaching me about the Mariko Aoki phenomenon and for reminding me that if I can’t shop for someone in your stationery section, we shouldn’t be friends.

Every day, I take my silly little walk downtown, check Sherbucks for your spinach-and-feta stuffed pretzels and contemplate my place in this continued booksellers’ diaspora – with occasional pilgrimages to your Skokie-Old Orchard location to tide me over.

— Ilana Arougheti

A beacon of greasy hope in a town where nearly everything else closes at eleven, the Evanston Burger King on Clark Street was the best late-night drunchies establishment near Northwestern last year. And now, it’s gone.

“Fast” food is a misnomer for this particular Burger King. It often took 10 to 20 minutes just to get a milkshake and chicken fries. But maybe that’s because every other person at the party you just left is also there, ordering the same thing you ordered. The plastic tables were always sticky, the bathroom always smelled, but it was the perfect place to go on a Saturday night (or Tuesday night, no judgment!) to satisfy that fried-food craving.

When the pandemic started, Burger King swiftly lost much of its charm. Who needs an after-party snack

when there’s no party to go to? It closed permanently in December of 2020, and remains vacant to this day.

My roommates and I, however, found a way for it to live on. When we moved off-campus at the beginning of winter quarter, we spotted a discarded, six foot by six foot sign in BK’s dumpster. We knew we had to rescue it. After much finagling, and a borrowed step-ladder, it now lives on our enclosed porch.

When one of my roommates tweeted about the pilfered sign, Burger King replied, “pls take care of her.” And we will. Through her, the memory of Evanston’s Burger King will become immortal.

Of all of the changes to the Evanston landscape this year, the dimmed lights of Century 12 Evanston’s marquee hit me the hardest.

The theater’s closing wasn’t a surprise, exactly.

Pandemic restrictions prompted Century 12 to close indefinitely last March, before its termination of its contract with Stockbridge Capital Group made the shuttered doors permanent. Distributors opted to send their movies to streaming services, and box office revenues were nowhere near their

pre-pandemic marks, dealing a crippling blow to a pillar of the Evanston community.

As the only theater within walking distance of Northwestern’s campus, Century 12 was embedded in the Evanston community and an easy option for impromptu movie cravings. Watching movies in the enclave of a dark, distraction-free theater provided needed, truly immersive escapes from the stresses of college life. And with $5 Tuesdays each week, the price was nearly unbeatable.

The adrenaline of “Ford v Ferrari” left me breathless in each of the racing scenes and ready to drive right after. The late night showing of “Joker” invoked another sensation — total fear — as I sat slumped all the way down in my seat for most of the runtime. And the social aspects of watching those movies, the half-mile walks and the hot takes after, made those nights even better.

Watching movies on HBO Max just isn’t the same.

When my parents came to Evanston for their first-ever Family Weekend my freshman year, they asked me where I wanted to meet them for dinner. I had been on campus for just a few weeks and didn’t know the city’s food scene well enough to make the call. So I asked some senior staffers at The Daily for recommendations.

“Whiskey Thief,” one editor suggested, and several others then nodded in support.

I took their advice and went to Whiskey Thief

Tavern, which closed last year. Two of my friends joined me, and I remember joking with them about how much better this meal was than our typical dinner at Allison Dining Hall. I ordered a rigatoni dish — the sauce was delicious — and we traded around a huge pile of sweet potato fries. My mom ended the night with some vanilla ice cream, extra caramel sauce.

From then on, Whiskey Thief became my family’s go-to spot in Evanston, and we’d often eat there when they came to visit. It’s cheesy, but I associate the restaurant with that

first time my parents saw me laughing with new friends, enjoying my first few months in college.

But unfortunately, Whiskey Thief is now a thing of the past. We won’t get the chance to watch more sports games on their many flat screen TVs, and we won’t be able to slip into those dimly-lit booths and munch on some wings.

So long, Whiskey Thief. My family and I — and the rest of Evanston — will miss you.

— Jordan Mangi

— John Riker

— Sophia Scanlan

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MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

9

Bookends files class action lawsuit against Amazon

By STEPHEN COUNCIL daily senior staffer @stephencouncil

When Nina Barrett (Medill ‘87) expanded Bookends & Beginnings earlier this year, she hoped the bookstore’s new window on Sherman Avenue would increase its visibility. By late March, the window was serving a higher purpose: displaying copies of a bright orange booklet, titled “How to Resist Amazon and Why.” Barrett — and Bookends — are well acquainted with the zine’s message.

The independent Evanston bookstore is the initial plaintiff in a class action lawsuit filed on March 25, which alleges Amazon and the nation’s five leading trade book publishers have restrained competition, fixed prices and created a monopoly in the print trade bookselling industry.

“We’re not supposed to have bullies on the playing field that prevent entrepreneurs and small businesses like mine from existing,” Barrett said. “So when (the law firms) invited me to become essentially the face of the case, I was totally ready to do that.”

Two firms with antitrust experience, Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP and Chicago’s Sperling & Slater, P.C. — which recruited Bookends — filed the complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

Amazon’s co-defendants in the case, Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster, combine for an estimated 80 percent of the trade book publishing market. Trade books are those written for a general audience and not for academia or reference, and often comprise most of bookstores’ selections.

Amazon, which did not respond to The Daily’s request for comment, accounts for over half of the country’s print book sales, and more than 90 percent of online print book sales. Barrett, who founded her store in 2014, is hoping the suit will help change Amazon’s business practices and award financial damages to independent bookstores — recompense for the way they’ve been choked out of the bookselling market.

The complaint argues that preferential “most favored nation” clauses between Amazon and the publishers combine with Amazon’s dominance to hurt booksellers and consumers. These clauses generally mandate that a business be treated no worse

than any competitor. In 2020, a U.S. House Judiciary Committee investigation accused Amazon of forcing the clauses upon book publishers by threatening financial penalties.

Because of the clauses, bookstores are unable to buy books from publishers at cheaper rates than Amazon or release books before the internet giant does, essentially leaving no room to compete, the complaint alleges.

The bookstore lodges its allegations as proof the defendants have violated the Sherman Act, which outlines U.S. monopoly and competition law.

Because the complaint was filed as a class-action lawsuit, other retail booksellers will be able to join the case if it continues, be represented by the Evanston bookstore’s arguments and benefit from a possible positive ruling.

“People are talking about it as if it’s a David versus Goliath. But I am not the only David here,” Barrett said. “Every single independent bookstore in the country is fighting the same struggle that I’m fighting, and is being invited to join the suit.”

Bookends, small businesses, and the pandemic

Independent bookstores have struggled during the pandemic, and Barrett said in the beginning, the outlook was especially frightening.

The lockdown, she said, proved to be a major obstacle. She launched a GoFundMe for the store — which raised almost $50,000 — and Bookends attempted to reach more customers online. The store also received a Paycheck Protection Program loan.

Then, Barnes & Noble left downtown Evanston, which sent more customers to Bookends and encouraged Barrett to expand her storefront.

Many other bookstores haven’t made it. Allison Hill, the chief executive officer of the American Booksellers Association, told The Daily 72 of the organization’s 1,800 member bookstores closed in 2020. She said while the pandemic hit hard, Amazon had already been causing trouble — she described the company as a “preexisting condition.”

“Amazon has been ‘boxing out’ local bookstores and other small businesses all across the country, resulting in the losses of local jobs; local sales tax revenue; and a sense of neighborhood personality, community, and tradition,” Hill said in an email.

That sense of community is vital to Barrett, who sees her business as a “third place” for people — somewhere outside the workplace and home where

Anushuya Thapa/The Daily Northwestern

Bookends and Beginnings’ alley entrance. The store, founded in 2014, is the lead plaintiff in a new antitrust lawsuit.

they can find uplifting interaction. She said the experience at Bookends is antithetical to Amazon’s quick, personless platform.

She said she has seen the effects of Amazon’s dominance for years, and not known how to stop it.

“Do I feel in any way bad about poking them? No. Do I feel silly, because I’m so little, and they’re so big? No,” Barrett said. “It has to start with somebody speaking up.”

The wider fight

The fight against bookselling monopoly power didn’t start in Evanston, even though Bookends has become its newest face.

Hagens Berman, one of the law firms representing Bookends, sued Amazon and the publishers earlier in 2021 for ebook price-fixing. The plaintiffs in that case were consumers rather than stores.

Managing Partner Steve Berman told The Daily the firm has received “considerable, positive interest” from other bookstores around the country about the newest suit.

In tandem with the U.S. Department of Justice, the firm also sued Apple and the publishing companies in the early 2010s for ebook price-fixing. The antitrust case eventually yielded around half a billion dollars in payouts to ebook readers.

The government and academic worlds are

grappling with what antitrust cases look like in the age of big tech. President Joe Biden intends to work with Lina Khan, whose 2017 paper “Amazon’s Antitrust Paradox” launched a stiff critique of the company’s business practices.

Khan’s key point was that American antitrust policy is too focused on prices for consumers, and not enough on the relationships between businesses.

The Bookends suit is in what may become a popular vein of antitrust litigation, accusing Amazon and the publishers of stifling competition.

“My beef is with having this ginormous, faceless website, which is buying books on different terms from mine for different reasons — not because they care about books,” Barrett said. “Just because, well, it helps them become an even more ginormous business.”

Anushuya Thapa contributed reporting. scouncil@u.northwestern.edu Scan this QR code to view an accompanying video: Bookends & Beginnings to be lead plaintiff in suit against Amazon.

ORDER YOUR 2021 NU SYLLABUS

YEARBOOK SENIORS, IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO RESERVE YOUR COPY AT

nusyllabus.com/order

10 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

ASG

MIDNIGHT

representation on the Community Safety Advisory Board and working with administration.

While Vergara Miranda is on this advisory board, she said not everyone has seats on these types of committees. She and Rodriguez said they want to make dialogues between students and administrators more transparent.

“We need people in office who are able to work with administrators to address the needs of students when they arise, but are also able to hold administrators accountable,” Rodriguez said. “And tell them when harm is being done, especially when harm is being done to marginalized students.”

Office of Student Affairs, Residential Services, Northwestern University Health Service and the University’s COVID Response Team.

An unknown “local public health department” provided the University with extra doses that would spoil by 7 a.m. the next morning.

Luke Figora, vice president of operations, said the vaccines were offered to the University to ensure none went to waste.

Weinberg freshman Lily Ng was watching a movie in her dorm when she received the email from Residential Services. She had been trying to get her first vaccine dose the past week, but slots on Cook County’s website quickly filled up.

After seeing the email, Ng said she immediately filled out the form and received a confirmation email with her appointment time of 12:30 a.m. Ng’s friend accompanied her to Norris, where she filled out a release form and read up on the risks before receiving the shot.

“All of the staff were super nice,” Ng said. “The guy who vaccinated me went to the same high school as me, so we were just chatting about that.”

Ng said that while at Norris, she was not told

From page 1

From page 1

ASG internal reform

In addition to increase in transparency and representation, Vergara Miranda and Rodriguez said they plan to restructure ASG’s organization, an initiative started with the Ad Hoc Committee to Reimagine ASG. While restructuring is an ambitious goal, Vergara Miranda said, she and Rodriguez have applicable experience from restructuring Alianza’s executive board. She said her role as a newcomer complements Rodriguez’s ASG experience.

“I may not know the entire functions of ASG, but I think that’s a good thing,” she said. “If we want to restructure, it’s best to look at it from a completely different point of view.”

The candidates said they want to orient ASG around its issue-specific committees and use the Senate to amplify their work.

ASG treasurer Carl Morison said Vergara Miranda and Rodriguez are trying to center marginalized students within the organization.

This focus on committees will also help with the equity issues that ASG has faced. According to Rodriguez, committees are diverse in terms of students’ majors and backgrounds.

“Committees seem to be more of a representation of Northwestern’s campus than perhaps Senate may be,” he said. “We should amplify the work that committees are doing.”

By the end of their term, Vergara Miranda said she hopes ASG structure and morale will look different. In addition to reforming structure, they hope to make ASG more transparent in their daily operations and ways students can get involved.

Vergara Miranda and Rodriguez said once they take office, they will reach out to student organizations about help they currently need. Policing, COVID-19 vaccine distribution, academic flexibility and mental health are some of the problems they are hoping to immediately address.

“Students across campus right now are in desperate need for a change in whatever their problem is,” Rodriguez said. “We owe it to those students who are seeking remedy to try and push and lobby and speak with them and for them. We owe it to them to make an impact.” emmarosenbaum2024@u.northwestern.edu

VACCINES From page 1

frontline staff and unhoused shelter residents received the vaccine a month later than originally promised. It was only through advocacy from Interfaith Action of Evanston and Connections that Evanston’s Health and Human Services Department hosted the organizations’ combined vaccine clinic.

Kouba said there is an inherent equity issue in urging residents to leave town for vaccine appointments because not everyone has access to the transportation or internet necessary to identify available vaccines and travel to receive them.

“We very much appreciate the adjustments the City made, but Connections did not find the original vaccine rollout plan to be equitable,” Kouba wrote.

Community leaders have also worked with the city’s health department to begin improving

ADMISSIONS From page 1

University’s acceptance rate dropped from 6.54 percent for the Class of 2024 to 4.62 percent for the Class of 2025.

To account for the hardships inflicted by COVID-19, NU offered a test-optional admissions policy in the 2021 admissions cycle,

how to get her second dose. She said she worried students would be left on their own to figure out how to get the second shot. But the Saturday night email said NU would assist anyone receiving their first dose in arranging a second dose.

“We’ll get the public health department to give us second doses for anyone that gets the first dose here tonight,” Figora told The Daily.

A few students, Figora added, got their second dose at Norris Sunday morning after getting their first shot at other locations in weeks prior.

Communication freshman Courtney Sullivan Wu was in Norris when the email was sent. She said she did not receive an email herself, but was able to access the signup link and secure an appointment from an email her friend had forwarded.

Sullivan Wu had previously been searching for vaccines, but was not eligible in the area.

When the opportunity came up, she decided to do whatever she had to get inoculated. As a self-proclaimed night owl, her 1:30 a.m. appointment was not a problem, she said, but the lastminute, cryptic nature of the vaccine opportunity contributed to a shared sense of confusion.

“I just don’t understand why it’s at 1:30,” Sullivan Wu said. “I just want to know what their thought process was.”

Not all students were as lucky. Weinberg

freshman Kyla Neely filled out the form, but did not receive a confirmation email. She went to Norris at around 1:15 a.m. after reading on Twitter that a waitlist had started. Like Ng, Neely had been unsuccessful in registering for her first vaccine through Cook County.

Around 2:30 a.m, Neely said she was one of six people left. The group was then told by a volunteer that only four vaccines were available, and that they would play a bracketed game of guessing the closest number to decide who would be vaccinated.

Neely, who lost the first round and vied for redemption in the losers’ bracket, did not get vaccinated.

As Neely was leaving, the volunteer told her that she should consider alternatives like signing up for the nationwide study that recently opened up for undergraduate students. The study, which offers compensation, randomizes vaccination bookings, meaning that it could be July until a study participant is offered one.

“He was just saying, ‘Just be on the lookout (and) hopefully we’ll have more appointments available or hopefully something like this will happen again,’” Neely said.

vaccine access. On Apr. 7, Evanston’s Second Baptist Church, in partnership with the State of Illinois, Evanston and NorthShore University HealthSystem, hosted a vaccine clinic focusing on hard-to-reach communities. Through the clinic, the church was able to administer all 200 vaccine doses supplied.

Jared Davis, a member of Second Baptist Church, said he appreciated the convenience and comfort of being vaccinated in his own church, located around the corner from his workplace.

“It was pretty simple and painless, and it was efficient,” Davis said. “The nurse that gave me my shot… was very personable and made me feel relaxed.”

Rev. Michael Nabors of Second Baptist Church said the church is uniquely situated within the community because of its connection to many longtime Black and brown residents, some of whom may be hesitant to receive the vaccine. Members of the church, he said,

prioritized reaching out to residents and other minority churches in the 5th Ward.

They focused on reaching people who may not have the resources to travel out of Evanston to receive the vaccine. Similarly, event organizers attempted to make sure residents knew they could call 311 to sign up for the clinic if they do not have internet access.

Nabors is one of many who have worked with the city to expand vaccination outreach and equitable distribution efforts. As the state opens up eligibility to those aged 16 and older Monday, he said there will be upcoming clinics accessible for all Evanston residents.

“They’re making sure that when the vaccines become available for everybody on April 12, that they have the targeted locations to administer the vaccines,” Nabors said. “To me that’s exciting, and we have worked to make that happen.”

meaning applicants could elect whether to include standardized test scores with their applications.

Standardized testing has seen its share of criticism, with arguments that they should not be used as a means to determine college admissions, citing data indicating inherent bias in favor of affluent, White and Asian American students.

The University has extended its test-optional policy for the 2022 admissions cycle but has yet to comment on whether or not the policy will stay once the pandemic ends.

Admitted students to the class of 2025 have until May 3 to accept or reject their admission to the university.

nickfrancis2024@u.northwestern.edu alexperry20@u.northwestern.edu

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DAILY CROSSWORD

MONDAY, APRIL 12, 2021

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

11

Students reflect on a year of Zoom, mental health

By KATRINA PHAM the daily northwestern @KatrinaPham_

After Northwestern sent students home last spring and prohibited them from on-campus living in the fall, Communication sophomore Catherine Zhong spent a lot of time unsure of their living situation.

Between housing insecurity, fears of contracting COVID-19 and remote classes, Zhong said the pandemic took a toll on their mental health.

“I just felt like I wasn’t learning anything and my education was being robbed from me,” Zhong said.

Scattered around the world, Northwestern students experienced many losses in the past year. Now, over a year into the pandemic and with many community members getting vaccinated, some say they feel normalcy is nearing.

However, for some, the mental challenges and consequences of a year spent online persist.

At the start of the pandemic, Active Minds president Matthew Cho (Weinberg ‘21) said he struggled to learn in large Zoom lectures, especially because he has a learning disability.

Sitting in front of his computer for long periods of time, Cho said he found himself unable to pay attention and focus throughout class.

Still, he said he appreciated professors’ efforts to adapt to the remote environment and create more interactive classroom experiences.

“I adjusted and the professors adjusted,” Cho said.

Stripped of culminating senior year

Devon Reid wins 8th Ward aldermanic race; Mitchell concedes Devon Reid has won the 8th Ward aldermanic race Saturday after candidate Matthew Mitchell officially conceded the race Saturday.

Reid, who currently serves as City Clerk, captured nearly 52 percent of the vote, leading by just 42 votes, according to unofficial

experiences, Cho’s academic career ended in the form of an email from the Office of the Registrar, though he said he was invited to a virtual commencement set for June. He said he became used to disappointment over the past year as a result of increased time spent on Zoom.

Cho said he explored other hobbies, including journaling, to cope with the hardships of the past year. NU Active Minds, a student-run organization meant to give students space to talk about mental health, became especially helpful in dealing with stress, he said.

Despite the initial awkwardness of speaking to others online, Cho said he’s now more comfortable speaking about personal topics over Zoom than he was in the past.

However, Zoom fatigue is still an issue for students who spend prolonged periods of time online. Weinberg freshman Sam Keimweiss said time saved using the video platform rather than attending in-person classes allowed him to take on more responsibilities and get involved in more activities. But he said being on Zoom for hours every day made it difficult to stay focused in class.

“I just start to get really exhausted,” Keimweiss said. “I’m more comfortable now in terms of operating online, but at the same time, it’s kind of desensitizing and I’m sure my social skills have fallen.”

Keimweiss said he feels apathetic about Zoom conversations because of lost milestone experiences, like high school graduation and spending his senior year with his friends.

Spending so much time online has made him wonder what his in-person interactions will be

like once in-person classes resume, Keimweiss said.

At the start of the pandemic, Zhong said they made efforts to reach out to friends, but now feel less motivated to do the same.

Despite taking time over the past year to improve their ability to sit in “uncertainty,” Zhong said this change reflects another

consequence of the pandemic.

“Just because we are used to it now and just because it’s working now, doesn’t mean that it’s how it’s supposed to be,” Zhong said. “It doesn’t mean it’s okay for me, and it doesn’t mean it feels good.”

results from the Cook County Clerk’s Office as of Saturday. Results have not been finalized, as mail-in ballots can still be counted up to two weeks later.

Reid has a background as a political consultant and community organizer, and prioritized transparency, community involvement and equity in his campaign.

Since election night, Reid has maintained a slight lead over Mitchell. On Tuesday, Mitchell told The Daily he did not believe mail-in ballots would give him a lead.

Mitchell congratulated his opponent in a statement released Saturday.

“The County updated the results last night and I think that the results will hold,” Mitchell said in the statement. “Many thanks to all of you who supported me and my campaign; we all want to make our community a better place. Thank you all for your support. I wish the next Evanston City Council all the best in their important work going forward.”

After a heated campaign, Reid and Mitchell ousted 38-year Council member Ald. Ann

Rainey (8th) in the February primaries.

Throughout the primary campaigns, Rainey found herself in the middle of a controversy after characterizing Reid as a “very scary person” at a Feb. 2 debate hosted by the League of Women Voters of Evanston — after which Mayor-elect Daniel Biss rejected Rainey’s endorsement.

In 2017, Rainey, the longest-serving alderman in Evanston history, defeated Rob Bady by a narrow 13 vote lead.

Illustration by Emma Ruck

Some students said the past year of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on their mental health.

katrinapham2024@u.northwestern.edu

— Delaney Nelson

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SPORTS

Monday, April 12, 2021

@DailyNU_Sports

WOMEN’S SOCCER

NU concludes 2021 season with loss to Wisconsin

By SKYE SWANN the daily northwestern @sswann301

After defeating Purdue in the first round of the Big Ten Regional Weekend, Northwestern looked to overtake Wisconsin and clinch a semifinalist spot in the conference tournament.

However, the Wildcats fell just short.

After two overtimes, the Wildcats (6-6-1, 5-6 Big Ten) fell 4-2 on penalty kicks to the Badgers (6-3-3, 6-3-3 Big Ten), bringing their 2021 season to an end.

“I’m really proud of them,” coach Michael Moynihan said. “They represented themselves and Northwestern really well. I think it bodes well for the future.”

At the start of the game, NU took control, firing two shots on goal within the first two minutes. According to Moynihan, the Cats’ midfielders were able to counter Wisconsin’s 4-2-4 formation, which led to their first goal of the game.

In the 37th minute, sophomore midfielder Lily Gilbertson found open space and took a shot towards Badgers goalie Jordyn Bloomer. The

ball sailed above Bloomer and into the top left post to put NU on the board, 1-0.

“We started to get a lot of chances in the first half and I think we were knocking at the door quite a few times,” Gilbertson said. “It was exciting to get one in, and the energy was definitely encouraging.”

The Cats’ defense also rose to the occasion. Sophomore defender Danika Austin cleared the ball, stopping Wisconsin’s offensive strikes, and the Badgers only talliedon one shot on goal over 45 minutes. Meanwhile, NU took nine. “(The backline) is just tough — really, really tough,” Moynihan said.

“They’ve been rocks all year, and individually, they have a great warrior mentality.”

Even though NU had multiple shots on goal at the beginning of the second half, Wisconsin quickly found the back of the net. In the 57th minute, Badger forward Cameron Murtha sent a shot past junior goalie Mackenzie Wood to tie the game at one.

The teams finished the half with six shots each. However, none got past the goalkeepers, keeping the score 1-1. NU had one last chance to

take the lead in regulation on a corner kick with ten seconds remaining, but the Badgers stopped it to send the game to overtime.

Although the Cats outshot Wisconsin 2-0 over ten minutes, the Badgers made a last-minute attempt to score the ball. However, Austin came up with a big steal stopping Murtha’s run down the field to force a second overtime. Wood also saved a shot straight down the center from Badgers midfielder Lauren Rice to send the game to penalty kicks.

Although senior midfielder Regan Steigleder nailed the Cats’ first penalty shot, the momentum shifted in Wisconsin’s favor as Wood was unable to block all four of the Badgers’ penalty kicks. Following a miss from junior midfielder Chloe McGhee, Wisconsin officially won, securing a spot in the Big Ten Tournament.

Despite the defeat, Austin is optimistic about the future of her team.

“Our performance today was really motivating,” Austin said. “It gives us hope for next season knowing we were dominating and we had the shots. Next season is gonna be ours if we take it.”

Daily file photo by Joshua Hoffman

skyeswann2024@u.northwestern.edu

BASEBALL

SOFTBALL

Wildcats lose series to Rutgers NU falls to third after sweep by Minnesota

By JOHN RIKER daily senior staffer @john__riker

After five straight weeks on the road, Northwestern looked to regain traction against Rutgers in their first home series of the season.

A 6-5 walk-off in the series opener gave the Wildcats (11-10, 11-10 Big Ten) a triumphant return to Rocky and Berenice Miller Park and coach Spencer Allen his 100th career win. But the Cats fell to the Scarlet Knights (11-9, 11-9 Big Ten) in the final two games of the series.

On Saturday, Rutgers defeated NU 8-4, then ended a Cats comeback bid with a go-ahead, 10th inning home run from Rutgers first baseman Jordan Sweeney.

“I was really hoping Friday would have propelled us a little bit with the comeback,” Allen said. “I think a good streak is coming for us where we’re going to get those big hits and we’re gonna make some of the plays.”

In their first game at Miller Park in over two years, the Cats’ offense blasted three home runs through the first seven innings, including a firstinning solo shot by junior shortstop Shawn Goosenberg, which gave NU a 4-1 lead into the final two frames.

But Rutgers responded with tworun homers in the eighth and ninth innings to take a late lead.

Down to its last batter, NU turned to junior first baseman Anthony Calarco, who took Scarlet Knights reliever Brian Fitzpatrick to a full count before sending the ball over the right field fence and the game into extra innings.

Then, on the first pitch of the 12th inning, Goosenberg finished the job. The Encino, Calif. native smashed the ball out to deep center to finish the ballgame.

“The fashion (of the win) really probably outplayed the number,” Allen said. “Our guys coming back to win a game like that on a walk-off was pretty, pretty fun. For it to be 100 was the icing on the cake.”

However, NU couldn’t keep the momentum in its matinee matchup

By LAWRENCE PRICE and NATHAN ANSELL the daily northwestern @lpiii_tres, @nathanjansell

Kelsey Carroll/The Daily Northwestern

First baseman Anthony Calarco dives for the base. The junior hit a home run during Northwestern’s Friday game against Rutgers.

on Saturday. Though the NU lineup was active early with two-run home runs in the first two innings, the Cats committed five errors, including three by sophomore third baseman Evan Minarovic. Rutgers took advantage of the mistakes and cruised to an 8-4 win.

“It’s a little bit of an elephant in the room that we know we have to get better at (reducing errors),” Allen said. “We’ve done a pretty good job actually fielding the ball, which we just got to throw more accurately.”

In the third game, Rutgers pitcher Justin Sinibaldi quieted the Cats’ offense. Sinibaldi dominated in his first career start, confusing the timing of NU’s hitters and pounding the bottom of the strike zone, according to Allen.

Trailing 5-1 in the bottom of the ninth, NU had one last chance at a rally. The Cats’ strategy — get far enough down the lineup to put Goosenberg at the plate.

“Before the inning, (Allen) goes, ‘Let’s get this thing to Goose, you’ve seen what’s happened before,’ ” Calarco said. “Right when I got on base, I knew what was gonna happen.”

After a flyout by freshman outfielder Ethan O’Donnell, NU’s next three batters reached base with singles and closed the deficit to 5-3.

The hits brought Goosenberg to the plate and the junior sent a moonshot to left field, marking his fourth home run of the series.

But the Cats couldn’t extend that momentum into the extra innings, giving up a home run in the 10th inning and losing 6-5.

“Every guy in the lineup had a part of one of our comebacks here and big at-bats, whether it’s drawing a walk, or actually the one getting the big hit,” Allen said. “The guys know that they’re in every game until the last out.” johnriker2023@u.northwestern.edu

Despite kicking off April with a series win over Maryland, No. 22 Northwestern took a step backwards this weekend.

Minnesota (19-5, 19-5 Big Ten) pulled off a 4-0 sweep against the Wildcats (18-6, 18-6 Big Ten), who fell to third in the Big Ten standings.

Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers — who became the first team to sweep NU in nearly four years — moved up to second place.

“They’re a quality team,” junior catcher Jordyn Rudd said about Minnesota. “They have a lot of good hitters and a lot of good pitchers. And I think we just struggled a little this weekend with their hitting.”

The series’ first game Friday developed into a pitching duel between junior pitcher Danielle Williams and the Golden Gophers’ Amber Fiser — who together allowed only 9 combined hits.

Home runs from Minnesota center fielder Natalie DenHartog and her teammate, second baseman Makenna Partain, gave the Golden Gophers a 2-0 lead in the sixth inning. At the bottom of the inning, Minnesota looked to be in control as the Cats — with two outs — sent graduate utility player Morgan Newport to the plate. Instead, Newport put NU on the board with a two-run shot to right-center field to tie the game.

“I had a lot of at-bats off that pitcher — she’s my age, we are both fifth years,” Newport said. “In my head, I said, ‘I am not going to let her beat me,’ and I think that really helped keep my two-strike approach, even when I got behind in the count.”

The game went into extra innings and concluded in the 10th when Golden Gopher first baseman Sydney Strelow hit a ground ball to bring home pinch runner Chloe Evans and give Minnesota a 3-2 victory.

On Saturday, the Cats struggled early, as the Golden Gophers took

an early 4-0 lead against sophomore pitcher Sydney Supple. NU responded in the bottom of the second inning with a two-run home run from junior shortstop Maeve Nelson, but the Cats only collected two hits for the rest of the game and lost 6-2.

“They are very disciplined, they come in with a plan and they’re excellent at executing it,” Newport. “We missed a lot of chances that we didn’t take advantage of, and when you face a good team like that, it really comes down to who can execute.”

The first of Sunday’s matches, rescheduled from Saturday because of rain, was another low-scoring affair — both teams allowed just three runs and 13 hits combined. Minnesota pinch hitter Delanie Cox eventually scored the game-winning run in the 8th inning when she launched a pitch from Williams over the left field wall, giving the Golden Gophers three straight victories.

“Knowing that we had to shut their run game down was huge,” Rudd said.

“I was ready every pitch in case someone would (run).”

The afternoon game included much more offense, as DenHartog — the conference’s leader in home runs — recorded her eighth homer of the season with a three-run shot to left-center field, one of three three-run homers for Minnesota. Even though Rudd and senior second baseman Rachel Lewis each cleared the fence for NU, it wasn’t enough, as the Cats fell 10-4.

NU had issues with putting hits together during the series, as 30 runners were left on base throughout the weekend. Ten were stranded in the opener alone.

The Cats will head back on the road to face Iowa next weekend in an attempt to bounce back from the series sweep.

“I thought we played great this weekend — it just didn’t fall our way a couple times,” said junior center fielder Skyler Shellmyer, an Iowa native. “I am ready to kick some butt.” lawrenceprice2024@u.northwestern.edu nathanansell2022@u.northwestern.edu