The Daily Northwestern — May 3, 2021

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The Daily Northwestern Monday, May 3, 2021

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3 CAMPUS/Guards

8 SPORTS/Draft

Community service officers, a branch of UP, make residence halls feel unsafe, students say

Wildcats selected in 2021 NFL Draft

High 68 Low 48

Mike Polisky to become next Athletic Director

NU files motion to dismiss suit

Northwestern has chosen Deputy Athletic Director for External Affairs Mike Polisky as its next athletic director, multiple news outlets reported Sunday. Polisky joined NU’s athletic department in 2010 under former Athletic Director Jim Phillips, who departed Evanston to become the Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner. While working in areas such as marketing and corporate sponsorship, he created the “Chicago’s Big Ten Team’’ marketing campaign and cultivated a partnership with the Chicago Cubs to host NU sporting events at Wrigley Field. The news was first reported by Shannon Ryan of the Chicago Tribune. Northwestern’s selection of Polisky was announced following the University’s completion of a review into a federal lawsuit filed by former cheerleader Hayden Richardson. The suit named Polisky, the University and three other individuals as defendants. Richardson alleges NU did not properly handle complaints she and other cheerleaders raised around sexual harassment. In the lawsuit, Richardson said Polisky accused her of “fabricating evidence” and did not allow her to meet with Phillips. In addition to Polisky, former NU basketball player and sports executive Anucha Browne, Duke Deputy Athletic Director Nina King and NU’s Deputy Athletic Director for Administration and Policy Janna Blais — who currently serves as the University’s interim athletic director — were recommended by the

Northwestern filed a motion to dismiss sexual harassment allegations within the cheerleading program. Former cheerleader Hayden Richardson filed a federal lawsuit in January claiming leadership condoned a “hostile environment” where she and other cheerleaders were subject to groping and harassment by older fans and alumni. The defendants listed included the University, Deputy Athletic Director Mike Polisky and three other University employees. A University spokesman told the Chicago Tribune on Sunday NU has filed a motion to dismiss “most of the complaint, including the individual defendants.” “The university has reviewed the complaint and denies that Northwestern violated any law, including Title IX,” the spokesperson told the Chicago Tribune. According to the 58-page lawsuit, Polisky — who, according to reports, will become the University’s next athletic director — accused Richardson of “fabricating evidence” and did not allow her to meet with former Athletic Director Jim Phillips. On Feb. 5, NU administrators wrote to community members that the University “must not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination” and “must continue the vital work of ending it.” More than 80 Northwestern women faculty also

» See DIRECTOR, page 6

Photo courtesy of Adaeze Ogbonna

Christian Wade and Adaeze Ogbonna won the election for ASG’s next president and vice president, respectively.

Wade-Ogbonna win by a landslide

Wade and Ogbanna win ASG presidential election with 80% of votes By EMMA ROSENBAUM

the daily northwestern @emmacrosenbaum

SESP junior Christian Wade and Medill sophomore Adaeze Ogbonna won in a landslide election for Associated Student Government’s next student body president and vice president Saturday. The slate won 80 percent of the votes, defeating Sahibzada Mayed and McKenna Troy in the second virtual election in ASG history, election commissioner Donovan Cusick confirmed. Mayed and running mate Troy won 16 percent of the votes and 4 percent voted no confidence.

This year also saw 1,353 total votes, down from 2,064 in 2020 and up from 852 in the uncontested 2019 election. “We are truly so happy and grateful and will do our best to serve (the Northwestern community as) chosen leaders,” Wade and Ogbonna said in a statement to The Daily. “Our work is just getting started and we are so excited to see all the ways in which we can make NU a better campus wholly dedicated to the needs of its students.” This year’s presidential race was delayed by two weeks and has seen multiple slates drop out. Both the Wade-Ogbonna and Mayed-Troy slates entered the race after the delayed

presidential election cycle was announced. Wade was co-chair of the Campus Life Committee and Ogbonna represents the African Students Association in the Senate. Their platform includes supporting student advocacy and marginalized students, and holding the University administration more accountable. The candidates also plan to make ASG more accessible to students. They were endorsed by prominent campus organizations including NU Community Not Cops, Rainbow Alliance and Fossil Free Northwestern. Wade and Ogbonna will be sworn into office in next week’s ASG session and oversee

the selection of the rest of the executive board in the upcoming weeks. Weinberg senior Juan Zuniga, current ASG president, said he looks forward to Wade and Ogbonna’s leadership. The slate gathered a lot of input from students, which reflected in their platforms, he added. “(Wade and Ogbonna) are going to do a fantastic job in ensuring that students are heard,” Zuniga said. I’m just genuinely proud of both of them and excited to see what they can do.” Yunkyo Kim contributed reporting. emmarosenbaum2024@u. northwestern.edu

» See LAWSUIT, page 6

Evanston’s first Latinx elected official to take the dais Community members discuss the impact of minority representation in the municipal elections By MELINA CHALKIA

the daily northwestern @chalkiamelina

When Alejandra Ibanez immigrated to the United States from Chile in 1979, she didn’t know the language or the culture. She came to Evanston as a high school sophomore, but she never felt it was her home. She said the lack of notable Latinx representation in the city was often isolating. “I didn’t think this was a place for me,” Ibanez said. “When you don’t see yourself or your culture or your gender, those parts of you that help identify who you are, you don’t feel that you belong, you don’t see yourself as capable — it’s how the internalized oppression starts to eat at you.” Ibanez, who is now the city’s

Recycle Me

commissioner for equity and empowerment, said the underrepresentation of Evanston’s Latinx community in local government has caused harm to residents. Because of this disparity, she said the needs and assets of Latinx immigrants have not been taken into account in the city’s decision and policy making processes. Evanston’s total Hispanic population was 11.7 percent in 2019 according to the U.S. Census Bureau — a number that has grown by 91 percent since 1990. However, there has never been Latinx representation in local government until this year, when incoming city clerk Stephanie Mendoza was elected. She is slated to take office in May. Stephanie Mendoza has worked with Latinx families who have lived in Evanston for as many

as five generations, but she said these families have never been politically represented in the city. This limited representation in City Council and other levels of municipal government, she said, has had negative implications for the sociopolitical, educational and emotional lives of the city’s Latinx population. “Representation is about equity and being a strong voice for people of color,” Stephanie Mendoza said. “When I won, it was great to see how many Latinx families were just so excited and happy to feel like they have someone there to go to, someone to be vocal whenever there are needs in the community.” Without Latinx representation in city government, Stephanie Mendoza said the city has made

» See LATINX REP, page 6

Illustration by Melina Chalkia

Limited Latinx representation in Evanston government has led to the institutional marginalization of an entire community, which comprises more than 10 percent of the city’s population.

INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8


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