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The Daily Northwestern Thursday, January 24, 2013
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NU honors Weaver’s legacy at memorial By CAT ZAKRZEWSKI
the daily northwestern
Susan Du/Daily Senior Staffer
LEGACY OF LOVE Hope Coorden (left) and Natalie Furlett (center), who work in the Center for Student Involvement, hold hands Wednesday at Alyssa Weaver’s memorial service at Alice Millar Chapel.
Holding hands, the Northwestern community gathered Wednesday night to remember Weinberg junior Alyssa Weaver for a second time. The service held at Alice Millar Chapel was more formal than the candlelight vigil at The Rock in November and was attended by members of the Weaver family, including Alyssa’s sister and brother-in-law. Because more than two months have now passed since Weaver took her own life while studying abroad in London, this service focused on how Weaver’s legacy could be continued now that the initial shock of her death has passed. Chi Omega sorority, the Cultural and Community Studies Residential College, the Boxing Club and the Brady Scholars Program co-sponsored both memorials. Brady Scholars director Laurie Zoloth invited all in attendance to remember Weaver by participating in one of her favorite activities — hand-holding. “Take the hand of the person next to you,” Zoloth said addressing Weaver’s family and friends. “They are here now. They are present, and each is a
treasure.” As those in attendance held hands, Zoloth spoke of the special impact Weaver had on the NU community as both a scholar and a friend, and encouraged students to be a source of support for one and other. She also reminded the audience to learn from Weaver’s life. “I’ll continue to work to make Northwestern a better place, a more attentive place, a place where we might change the culture that makes this one illness among others somehow shameful,” Zoloth said, calling on the school community to do the same. Weinberg Dean Sarah Mangelsdorf joined Zoloth and Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs, in sharing stories from various professors about Weaver in her classes as both a Brady Scholar and award-winning philosophy student. They also described Weaver’s varying academic interests, ranging from art history to chemistry. “Her scholarship illuminated our scholarship,” Zoloth said. Several of the speakers at the memorial described their shock that » See WEAVER, page 7
Cook County launches gun-control measures By CIARA MCCARTHY
the daily northwestern
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the members of a violence prevention committee Wednesday after advancing several other gun-control measures this past week. Preckwinkle introduced a “lost and stolen” ordinance Jan. 16, which would require gun owners in Cook County to notify the sheriff ’s office within 48 hours if their guns were lost, destroyed, transferred or stolen.
Failure to comply with the ordinance would result in a $1,000 fine for the first violation, $1,500 for the second and $2,000 for the third. Preckwinkle’s proposed ordinance came on the same day the Cook County Board passed a resolution encouraging the Illinois General Assembly to approve statewide bans on assault weapons and large-sized ammunition magazines. Preckwinkle continued her antigun violence agenda this week, announcing members of the county’s Violence Prevention, Intervention, and Reduction Advisory Committee
on Wednesday. In the 2013 Budget, Cook County appropriated $2 million in grants to violence prevention nonprofits that have existed for at least three years. Now that Preckwinkle has named members to the committee, it can begin to advise how the $2 million should be distributed. The ordinance and the committee are both part of Preckwinkle’s anti-gun violence agenda, an issue that has gained renewed attention in light of an increase in homicides in Chicago and several mass shootings across the country. Owen Kilmer, Preckwinkle’s
spokesperson, said the measure was a common-sense law that would close a loophole in the current firearm legislation. The ordinance is co-sponsored by Commissioners John Daley, Edwin Reyes and Larry Suffredin, who represents the 13th district, including Evanston. The majority of Preckwinkle’s gun control efforts, and the proposed ordinance in particular, have met opposition from the Illinois State Rifle Association, among other groups. Richard Pearson, ISRA’s executive
director, said the ordinance is a violation of private gun owner’s rights. “We’re opposed to the ordinance because it turns law-abiding citizens into defendants in a court case if their firearm is lost or stolen,” he said. Pearson added the ordinance would put the focus on gun owners instead of criminal activity. Kilmer emphasized this ordinance would not punish the average gun owner. “This ordinance doesn’t take a » See GUNS, page 7
ASG Senate addresses gun control, environment By JUNNIE KWON
the daily northwestern
Associated Student Government senators proposed legislation Wednesday supporting gun control and endorsing divestment from the coal industry. Steven Monacelli, ASG’s vice president for community relations, and ASG senators Weinberg junior Mike Morgan and Weinberg senior Ian Coley, wrote and proposed a bill, “Ad-hoc Committee on Gun Control.” This would create a committee of at least three senators who would compose an open letter urging Congress to collaborate with the executive branch in creating bipartisan legislation on reducing gun violence. The legislation endorsing the reduction of gun violence was originally one resolution, which was proposed at ASG’s Jan. 16 meeting. It was then split into a resolution and bill, as ASG protocol dictates that a bill is needed to form a committee. The new proposed
resolution, titled “Students Support Gun Control,” would endorse President Barack Obama’s executive orders calling for improved gun legislation. “We have done this numerous times; we have taken a political stance,” Monacelli, a Communication senior and former Daily staffer, said. “We are truly a political body. There is nothing in the code that limits us from representing the interests of our students.” Following the proposal of the new resolution, ASG Speaker Ani Ajith opened the floor for questions. However, senators asked only a few questions with little contention. NU College Republicans President Dane Stier co-authored a letter to ASG with Students for Liberty President Justin Moore opposing the resolution originally proposed Jan. 16. Stier, a Weinberg senior, then wrote and proposed a resolution Wednesday in reaction to the legislation advocating gun control. The resolution drafted by Stier, titled “Political and Partisan Issues,” would limit ASG’s authority to state official
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
Susan Du/Daily Senior Staffer
GUNS AND GOVERNMENT ASG Speaker Ani Ajith (left) and President Victor Shao answer questions from the senators at Wednesday’s meeting.
opinions on political issues not directly related to Northwestern students. Contentious debate followed as senators discussed ASG’s right to endorse political stances. Some senators argued that because politics directly impacts
students, ASG has a duty to address political issues. Others questioned the impact of some political matters. “Does this affect the lives of Northwestern students, or is this just endorsing opinion?” Moore, a Weinberg
junior, asked. ASG proposed another resolution Wednesday, titled ”Establishing Northwestern as a Global Leader in Environmental and Financial Sustainability.” The resolution advocates complete financial divestment from the coal industry and encourages NU administrators to limit future investments in fossil fuels. Some senators questioned ASG’s competence in making suggestions to investors for the University. One senator asked why investors for NU had not already divested from the coal industry if investment was in fact a poor choice. “If they could have a huge PR stunt out of this, to be able to say, ‘We divested from coal in response to students and faculty coming together,’ that’s a big sell to the University, but they have no outside pressure to do that, so that’s what we want to be able to bring to them,” said Weinberg junior Mark Silberg, ASG’s associate » See ASG, page 7
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