Evanston Art Center hosts large fundraiser » PAGE 2
SPORTS Lacrosse Early barrage of goals sends Cats back to Final Four » PAGE 12
OPINION Kovac, Fuleihan Exploring Israeli Palsestinian relation » PAGE 6
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The Daily Northwestern Monday, May 20, 2013
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Relay for Life surpasses goal By AMANDA GILBERT and REBECCA SAVRANSKY
the daily northwestern @amandadance5, @beccasavransky
Kai Huang/The Daily Northwestern
LUMINARIA Students gather around a memorial dedicated to cancer victims Friday evening. Relay for Life, which raises money for the American Cancer Society, was held this weekend at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and Aquatic Center.
More than 600 Northwestern students came together Friday night to participate in Relay For Life, an event dedicated to raising money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. Throughout the night, students walked around the track at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion and Aquatics Center to raise money and show their support for finding a cure for cancer. The event, running from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., is meant to symbolize the life of a cancer patient, with darkness representing the diagnosis and sunrise representing hope. This year, NU raised $180,739.53, surpassing its goal of $165,000.
“I really like when they announce the total at the end,” said Communication junior Michelle Spies, Relay for Life public relations co-chair. “It’s a tangible way to see your efforts.” Phi Delta Theta and Pi Beta Phi came in first place for fundraising for large teams, and Slivka Residential College of Science and Engineering won the medium teams category. Bobb Hall placed first for small teams. Cancer survivors Jonny Imerman and Karyn Israel (Beinen ‘83) spoke during the opening ceremony. Both speakers praised participating students and engaged the audience with their stories. Imerman was diagnosed with testicular cancer when he was 26 years old and has since overcome more than six months of chemotherapy and a series of surgeries. » See RELAY, page 7
Crash rate declines after cellphone ban By JIA YOU
daily senior staffer @jiayoumedill
Evanston has seen a significant reduction in car crashes in the past three years since a City Council ban on using handheld cellphones while driving went into effect. The number of roadway crashes declined 17 percent from 2009 to 2012, according to the Evanston Police Department. The number of car accident injuries dropped 14.5 percent during the same period. Ald. Jane Grover (7th), a longtime advocate for safe driving, said though the ban enactment may not necessarily have caused the reduction in car
crashes, it might have helped raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. “We didn’t get the dramatic improvement in the crash rate from the year before, but the trend over these three years is really positive,” Grover said. The council unanimously passed the cellphone ban in January 2010. The ordinance prohibits texting, Web browsing, listening to voice mail or talking on a handheld phone while driving, but permits talking on a hands-free device. Motorists who violate the ordinance, which went into effect March 2010, receive a $50 fine with an additional potential penalty of $200 if the violation may have contributed to causing an auto crash.
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The trend over these three years is really positive. Jane Grover, 7th Ward alderman
The ban has been a “key component” in ensuring public safety in Evanston, where cars, bikes and pedestrians often cross paths, EPD Cmdr. Jay Parrott said. “Clearly, driving and texting or driving and using a cellphone is distracting to drivers,” Parrott said, noting driving while using a cellphone is as dangerous as driving while drunk. “We have to have (the ban) in place
to stop people from being distracted while driving.” During the past three years, the EPD issued more than 7,000 tickets to motorists who have violated the ban, according to the city. Grover said the collection rate on these tickets is more than 80 percent, which she said indicated general acceptance of the ban. “It suggests to me that people don’t consider the cellphone ban overreaching,” she said. “They acknowledge that this is dangerous behavior.” Education of residents from young drivers to parents is another piece of ensuring safe driving in Evanston, Grover said. Many Evanston Township High School students may have » See BAN, page 11
the daily northwestern @maddielkins
Skylar Zhang/Daily Senior Staffer
PANEL Patricia Telles-Irvin, the vice president for student affairs, speaks Sunday afternoon about some of the issues that prevent people from seeking counseling. The panel was sponsored by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
Top representatives from Student Affairs and Counseling and Psychological Services spoke Sunday afternoon about the stigmas generated through race, sexuality and culture that prevent students from seeking mental health care. Patricia Telles-Irvin, vice president for student affairs, joined CAPS officials including executive director John Dunkle at a panel discussion titled “You Crazy!: Social Stigmas and Mental Health.” The event, presented by Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. in Harris Hall, kicked off Northwestern’s first annual mental health series sponsored by Multicultural Student Affairs, ARTica Studios, CAPS, Associated Student Government and Panhellenic Association. “Mental health issues are taboo in
Medical examiner: Construction worker’s death at NU an accident
the African-American community,” said Becca Abara, second vice president of Zeta Phi Beta. “You can enter into almost every community and find some kind of stigma on mental health, so we thought it would be a good idea to gather a group of professionals so that this could be a place for people to ask questions that they wouldn’t necessarily feel comfortable asking in a more traditional forum.” About 20 students attended the talk, which highlighted the speakers’ unique backgrounds and experiences with stigmas surrounding mental health among minority groups, including the LGBT, black, Latino and Asian communities. “The issue I have here at Northwestern is that we send a lot of mixed messages,” Telles-Irvin said. “We tell you that you are the most talented class who have the most exceptional grades, and we create a culture where a student can’t really stop and say, ‘I need help.’”
The death of a construction worker struck by a falling beam on campus Thursday has been ruled an accident, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office. Michael Kerr, 57, died from multiple injuries after he was hit by the 16-foot, 70-pound beam at the lakefront construction site of the new Music and Communication Building, the medical examiner’s office said Friday afternoon. The fatal accident triggered an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that could last six months. The agency is inspecting the site, interviewing employees and checking to see what safety practices were used by the project’s contractor, Power Construction Company of Schaumburg, Ill. “Our only statement at this time is that the details of the accident are being investigated and Power is working in cooperation with OSHA,” said Jeff Karp, Power Construction president and CEO, in an email to The Daily. “Our thoughts and prayers are for the family and friends of Mr. Kerr.” Karp said he expects construction to resume Monday.
» See STIGMA, page 11
— Patrick Svitek
Social stigma panel talks mental health By MADDIE ELKINS
Patrick Svitek/Daily Senior Staffer
ACCIDENTAL DEATH Michael Kerr, 57, died Thursday after he was hit by a falling beam at the lakefront construction site of the new Music and Communication Building.
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