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The Daily Northwestern Friday, October 22, 2021
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Office of Equity talks new policies at ASG New restorative practice program was previewed By JOSHUA PERRY
the daily northwestern @joshdperry
An Office of Equity representative presented harassment policy updates and previewed a new restorative practice program and digital antiracism training at Associated Student Government’s second meeting of the quarter. The University announced it would change harassment and discrimination policies by Sept. 3 after releasing the results of an independent investigation into reports of sexual harassment and racism raised by the cheer team. In a February Daily investigation, cheerleaders said NU’s Office of Equity did not appropriately respond to allegations of racism. The University filed a motion in May to dismiss sexual harassment allegations leveled by former cheerleader Hayden Richardson in a January federal lawsuit. TiShaunda McPherson, senior associate vice president for equity, addressed the changes. A new reporting mandate requires all NU employees, including student employees and graduate
students with supervisory authority, to report incidents of sexual misconduct, harassment or discrimination. If employees or students fail to report an incident, they will face repercussions, McPherson said. The office has also broadened its policy on matters of harassment, McPherson said. Now, offensive language or conduct does not have to be targeted toward a specific person to be a violation. “Even if someone uses a racial slur, but they don’t direct it at a specific person, that still may create a hostile environment,” McPherson said. “We don’t want that type of behavior in our campus community.” In accordance with social justice commitments made by administrators last year, the Office of Equity requires senior officials, including University President Morton Schapiro and Provost Kathleen Hagerty, to complete mandatory foundational anti-racism training, according to McPherson. The Office of Equity will roll out similar, customized digital anti-racism training that the University will develop with the help of NU scholars and diversity leaders, McPherson said. She told ASG that involving the campus
» See ASG, page 7
Madison Smith/Daily Senior Staffer
Evanston Public Library. EPL addressed concerns about racist imagery and content during its Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday.
EPL board discusses racist imagery Residents say apology for using “thin blue line” imagery isn’t enough By MAX LUBBERS
daily senior staffer @maxlubbers
Evanston Public Library em p l oyee s an d b oard
members discussed the use of racist imagery in one of its displays, as well as how to address racist books in the library’s collection, during an EPL Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday.
EPL issued a statement earlier this month apologizing for the use of “thin blue line” imagery in a display advertising an upcoming program on police reform. But residents at the meeting said the apology
wasn’t enough. Library patron Deshana Newman, who is Black, said EPL paints itself as a library for all citizens, but in fact is
» See EPL, page 7
Athlete mopeds aren’t actually free Comix Revolution But some receive a monthly stipend, which can be used to buy one
Davis St. location offers oasis for comic book lovers
By NICOLE MARKUS
the daily northwestern @nicolejmarkus
Despite a common misconception among Northwestern students, most athletes purchase mopeds themselves, Weinberg junior and women’s soccer player Rowan Lapi said. However, student-athletes on full athletic scholarship receive a monthly stipend, which she said can be used to purchase a moped. In an email to The Daily, Athletic Communications confirmed that those on full athletic scholarship receive a monthly stipend for personal expenses. “Considering Instagram accounts made, and just overall distaste, I feel that most people either feel that athletes are just lazy… or they’re just annoyed because of mopeds zipping in and out,” Lapi said. “Most people definitely don’t know that we actually buy them.” Mopeds have become a hot topic among NU students on social media platforms
Recycle Me
celebrates 21 years By ELENA HUBERT
the daily northwestern @elenahubert25
Illustration by Hank Yang
Mopeds have become a hot topic among NU students on social media platforms like Instagram.
like Instagram. On the site, students have created new anonymous accounts like @ numopedsupremacy and @ nopedsnu as ways to sound off about mopeds. Some of the discourse about mopeds concerns NU’s perceived special treatment towards athletes, Communication sophomore Fiona
Byrne said. Byrne said she has taken issue with funding in athletics programs before she arrived at NU. Northwestern has prioritized new athletic initiatives in recent years, including spending $270 million on building the Ryan Fieldhouse and the Walter Athletics Center and a recent
$480 million donation from Patrick Ryan (Kellogg ’59) and Shirley Ryan (Weinberg ’61) , much of which will go toward rebuilding Ryan Field. “I’ve been kind of antisports funding since high school,” Byrne said. “As much as we laugh about it, it does
» See MOPED, page 7
A picture may be worth a thousand words, but at Comix Revolution, you don’t have to choose between the two. In just two rooms, the Davis Street storefront houses over 2,000 graphic novels. Comix Revolution president Jim Mortensen (Weinberg ’94) established the chain’s first location in 1996 after taking over the former Mount Prospect location of Moondog’s comic store. Four years later, he opened the Evanston location. While attending Northwestern, Mortensen was a weekly customer at local comic store Comic Relief. The store closed down a few years after he graduated. Mortensen tried to apply to take over the lease, but his request was denied. He eventually found a space on Davis Street — previously occupied
by Reckless Records — and opened Comix Revolution. “There were some areas of literature and art (in Evanston) that could be supported a little bit more and that weren’t being represented in the area,” Mortensen said. Sales associate Frank Rodriguez said getting into reading comics can be daunting due to the vast number of series and issues. Batman’s origin series “Detective Comics,” for example, celebrated Issue 1000 in 2019. He said it can be stressful when readers feel compelled to catch up from the beginning. However, Rodriguez said store employees can be a helpful resource for newcomers by offering recommendations for beginners. There are comics to match a variety of different styles and interests, he said. “The medium is flooded with talent currently,” Rodriguez said. “So there’s something out there for you, you just got to crack open a book.” Alongside comics, the store sells books, apparel and trading cards. Plush animals, though,
» See COMIX, page 7
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