The Daily Northwestern — January 25th, 2024

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4 OPINION/Dinner Party

3 CAMPUS/Arch

When Chiara Kim moved into her apartment, it was her responsibility to bring dinner parties

NPEP grad marches through Arch after release

High 39 Low 33

Activists make politics local Evanston groups discuss campaign strategies for 2024

By HANNAH WEBSTER

the daily northwestern @hannahe_webster

In anticipation of the 2024 presidential election, local civic groups are gearing up for a busy year of campaigning on national issues.

While November’s vote is still months away, local political parties and issue groups are implementing strategies to empower local voters, gather volunteers and influence national policy.

“The truth of the matter is that every vote will matter,” said Mary Keefe Kelly, the League of Women Voters of Evanston’s treasurer. “Local groups drive home the fact that all politics are ultimately local.”

The Evanston chapter of the League of Women Voters, a group dedicated to voter education and advocacy, spearheaded the Voter Participation Action Coalition, made up of Evanston organizations dedicated to mobilizing local voters.

The group plans to meet

with both county and city clerk offices and develop plans to increase voter registration and turnout in 2024.

LWVE also plans to partner with the Cook County and other League of Women Voters chapters in Illinois to organize voter registration opportunities. In collaboration with the Illinois statewide chapter, LWVE contributed to the Illinois Voter Guide, an online, nonpartisan informational guide for voters.

“There’s 30% of eligible voters who don’t even vote.

Can you imagine if all the local groups were working on their areas?” Kelly said.

“It could be a miracle.”

Political parties based in Evanston are also engaging local communities toward national causes.

In the build-up to the election, the Democratic Party of Evanston intends to focus its efforts on mobilizing local Democrats to engage with neighboring communities, bussing volunteers to Wisconsin for door-knocking campaigns, for example, according to board member Jane Neumann.

“Local political groups are

» See GRASSROOTS, page 6

Daily file photo by Joss Broward

The investigation follows a complaint filed by Zachary Marschall, the editor-in-chief of Campus Reform — a self-proclaimed “conservative watchdog” of higher education.

Dept of Ed opens probe into NU Investigation to look into handling of alleged antisemitism on campus

By SAMANTHA POWERS

daily senior staffer @sqpowers04

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil

Rights opened an investigation Tuesday into Northwestern’s compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin.

The investigation is the result of a complaint filed by Zachary Marschall, the editor in chief of Campus Reform — a self-proclaimed “conservative watchdog” of higher education. The complaint

alleges the University failed to adequately respond to what Marschall called incidents of antisemitism, according to a Department of Education

» See INVESTIGATION, page 6

Ill. activists push for electoral reform Students repaint As Evanston implements ranked-choice voting, state considers changes

By KATE WALTER

daily senior staffer @katewalter03

In November 2023, Evanston residents voted overwhelmingly for a referendum adopting a ranked-choice voting method for municipal elections starting in 2025, making Evanston the first city in the state to do so.

Now, the movement has gained traction as organizers across Illinois advocate for ranked-choice voting in statewide elections, and a new Illinois legislative task force is assessing the idea.

With ranked-choice voting, voters rank the candidates on the ballot, and if one candidate wins over 50% of first-choice votes, they win the election.

However, if no candidate receives a majority of votes, the candidate with the least number of votes is eliminated, and their voters’ second choice receives their votes. This process repeats until one candidate reaches the majority threshold.

Recycle Me

Rebecca Williams, a statewide organizer for FairVote Illinois, said her advocacy group is focused on advocating for ranked-choice voting implementation at the local level.

“A big focus of our work is working at the municipal level to get cities to adopt ranked-choice voting,” Williams said. “We’re hoping that if we can do enough of those, and the General Assembly is able to see that people like it, that will eventually prompt statewide adoption.”

Moving forward, Williams said FairVote Illinois is looking to push for ranked-choice voting in cities like Naperville and Oak Park, Illinois.

A law passed by the state legislature in 2023 established the Ranked-Choice and Voting Systems Task Force to examine the reform, starting with the 2028 presidential primary election. The 20-member bipartisan task force is made up of members of both houses of the state legislature, public individuals and election experts. It plans to publish a report of

Rock for Palestine SJP hosts painting event after message partially covered

By JOYCE LI

daily senior staffer @joyycee_li

Illustration by Isabel Su

Since Evanston voted to implement ranked-choice voting for municipal elections starting in 2025, there has been a statewide push to introduce this method in Illinois.

its findings by March 2024.

Chicago Ald. Matt Martin (47th), who was appointed to

the taskforce, said the group

» See VOTING, page 6

After messages in support of Palestine on The Rock were painted over Sunday, close to 400 students added their handprints to The Rock Wednesday in solidarity with Palestinian liberation.

The weekend of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Northwestern’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine painted the colors of the Palestinian flag and a Black Power fist on The Rock. They wrote phrases calling for “liberation for all,” “ceasefire,” “Black liberation” and an endorsement of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement on its base.

Over the weekend, The Rock was partially covered with purple paint and the Star of David. The phrase “Am Yisrael Chai” — “the people of Israel live” in Hebrew — was written on the surrounding fence.

“I think it’s disgusting that the school has formed committees for antisemitism but hasn’t … addressed the Palestinian students and Arab students that have been facing discrimination on this campus,” Weinberg senior Rebekah Soliman, who helped paint The Rock, said. “To see that in physical form through the defamation of The Rock just drives me even more to want to come for liberation.”

University President Michael Schill announced the formation of the President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate in November. It includes students, faculty, trustees and administrators.

Schill — who faced blowback from students and faculty in November for not calling more attention to Islamophobia on campus in his initial announcement — singled out Islamophobia as one of several forms of hate the committee will address in a Tuesday message to the community.

On Wednesday, NU SJP invited students to leave handprints on The Rock in the colors of the Palestinian flag in an “All Hands for Liberation”

» See ROCK, page 6

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

2 THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

AROUND TOWN

Evanston advocates call for K-12 climate eduation

By JACK VERVERIS

the daily northwestern @jackververis

When Helen von den Steinen, adjunct professor at the Segal Design Institute, first moved to the U.S. in 2016, she was in “complete shock.”

Von den Steinen had left Germany, where she said sustainability has “been part of the DNA since the 60s.”

U.S. sustainability was disappointing in comparison, she said. When she left a long-term research position at Procter & Gamble last June, she decided she wanted to help change that –– starting with education.

“We’re in a climate emergency, and we need to move fast,” von den Steinen said. “But nothing moves fast in politics.”

Von den Steinen co-founded Climate Education for Illinois with the goal of passing a statewide bill embedding climate education into school curriculums, creating a position dedicated to the issue on the Illinois State Board of Education and establishing a funding mechanism for climate education initiatives.

In January, state Rep. Kimberly du Buclet (D-Chicago) introduced a bill to the Illinois state legislature to include climate change in the instruction, study and discussion of conservation.

“No one bill can solve a global climate challenge,” du Bulcet’s office said in a statement to The Daily. “However, it is a great first step and an attempt to ensure that every child in Illinois knows what is happening to our changing planet and how it affects them.”

While von den Steinen said she and other activists were appreciative of the bill, they were disappointed by the lack of specific details.

Since 2020, five states have passed legislation establishing statewide policies for climate education, with four providing funding for school resources, pilot programs or state-level offices.

New York, home to the country’s largest public school system, is currently considering incorporating climate change into lesson plans.

In 2020, New Jersey added climate change

Illustration by Lillian Ali

Climate education can range from lessons on the greenhouse effect to discussions of climate anxiety.

information to seven of its nine educational standards, with math and English integrating the subject last October. Advocates say that wider integration, as well as lessons specific to New Jersey, help make the lessons clear.

“Climate change isn’t just one big thing; it is a very localized problem, and I think it’s powerful for students to view that,” said Yen-Yen Chiu, director of content creation for SubjectToClimate.

In 2022, SubjectToClimate, which creates environment-focused lesson plans and curricula, helped launch the New Jersey Climate Education Hub, an online portal that is part of the New Jersey Climate Change Education Initiative.

The hub provides free training, curriculum and frequently updated lesson plans for teachers in all disciplines to help them comply with

state standards. The lessons tackle complex issues like climate refugees and climate anxiety, but the program also emphasizes the impact students can have in their everyday lives.

But in Illinois, some aren’t waiting for statelevel change.

Evanston Township High School senior Milo Slevin worked with the ETHS Climate Curriculum Committee in May to pass departmental standards for climate education in classes ranging from ecology chapters in freshman biology to sections on climate justice in Civics.

“Climate education doesn’t bring us to net zero, but in many ways it’s the most critical part of our efforts,” Slevin said.

Slevin is the hub coordinator of E-Town Sunrise, the Evanston chapter of the youth-led

climate group Sunrise Movement. He hopes that the Evanston Township High School District 202 Board of Education will pass an eight-part “Green New Deal,” a policy that would not only make climate education a concrete part of ETHS but also implement a wide range of additional environment-focused policies.

But, no matter where the efforts come from, advocates remain determined on climate education.

“This is only going to grow, whether it be from the ground up, with teachers in a classroom, a school in a district developing these lessons, or from the state level down,” Chiu said. “I guess I’m just hopeful.” jackververis2027@u.northwestern.edu

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

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3

ON CAMPUS

NPEP grad marches through The Arch

Editor in Chief Avani Kalra

eic@dailynorthwestern.com

By ISAIAH STEINBERG

the daily northwestern @IsaiahStei27

Dozens of people lined up alongside The Arch Monday, waving pom poms and clapping enthusiastically as Benard McKinley (NPEP ’23) marched through it.

Every year at Northwestern, thousands of incoming freshmen and graduating seniors “March Through The Arch” as a symbol of the beginning and the end of their experience at the University.

For McKinley, however, marching through The Arch symbolized more than his graduation — it symbolized his freedom.

McKinley served 20 years of a reduced 25-year sentence at the Stateville Correctional Center in Crest Hill, Ill. While in prison, McKinley enrolled in the Northwestern Prison Education Program.

McKinley was released from prison Monday.

“It still feels surreal,” McKinley said. “It felt good to finally be back home, to be at my school that I graduated from and to feel the love from everybody.

It felt amazing.”

All NPEP students enroll while incarcerated and receive a four-year bachelor’s degree from NU. Students major in social sciences and take classes in anthropology, political science, psychology, and sociology, along with electives and a research seminar.

The NPEP program is highly competitive — in 2023, it received nearly 400 applications and accepted 40 students. The admissions process includes a personal statement, a textual analysis and in-person interviews.

Classes are offered at the men’s Stateville prison and at the women’s Logan Correctional Center in Lincoln, Ill. McKinley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social sciences from NU in November. He marched through The Arch Monday — the same day he was released.

McKinley said he hopes to go to law school, become a civil rights lawyer and establish a public interest law firm.

“Benard was originally sentenced to spend the rest of his life in prison,” NPEP Director Jennifer

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After four years studying the social sciences in prison, McKinley graduated from NU in November, and was released from prison Monday. He marched through The Arch the same day he gained his freedom.

Lackey said. “So to have him here on campus, a graduate of Northwestern, with his applications to law school, it’s just such a day of celebration, joy and hope for everyone in our community. I think that many of his classmates look to Benard and see that hope is not lost in their own cases.”

Two of McKinley’s classmates, NPEP students Brandon Perkins and Jacob Currey, watched him partake in the NU tradition. Perkins and Currey were released from prison last fall and are finishing their education through the program.

Currey, who hopes to attend law school, said watching McKinley march through The Arch was encouraging.

“It’s very rewarding,” Currey said. “It’s kind of a sign of a hopeful future. I didn’t see this path before.

Seeing some of my fellow classmates being able to successfully complete part of their task means a lot and helps me keep going.”

Perkins said he hopes to get an MBA and become an entrepreneur. He marched through The Arch himself shortly after being released, surrounded by friends and members of the NPEP community.

“I’ve kind of been on an educational journey since I was incarcerated,” Perkins said. “I got locked up in 2016. And my father is also in prison. I was able to get on a three-way call with him a few months into my incarceration. That was his advice to me. It was like, ‘Man, treat these years like college years,’ and so that’s really what I tried to do.”

Currey and Perkins explained the unique challenges that come with pursuing a degree while in prison. They described having limited access to computers, being unable to eat lunch due to their class schedules and having to write research papers by hand.

McKinley said it can be difficult to stay focused on education while faced with the other stressors of prison, but he said he is grateful for the experience.

“This is a rare opportunity that not everybody has,” McKinley said. “Being able to take this in and embracing it for what it is, in spite of the negative adverse experiences you might have within a prison environment, is just different.” isaiahsteinberg2027@u.northwestern.edu

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

OPINION

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Kim: The art of hosting the perfect dinner party CHIARA KIM

ASSISTANT OPINION EDITOR

“I grate beets and carrots or buy them grated — if I buy the beets that are roasted I just cut them into chunks. Baby or normal kale — take the stalk off and massage it so it softens (just put in a bowl of water and massage for a bit then drain).

You should get a really ridiculously big bowl to make this. Before you dress it it becomes very big indeed. Oh and cilantro. That’s the key, but some people hate it. But whatever.”

That’s my mom’s recipe — sent through several text messages — for her signature salad she makes for guests.

I had asked for the recipe because I was hosting a holiday party with my roommates. The salad befits dinner parties because of its large volume and its crowd-pleasing tendencies, despite its often-controversial ingredients (kale, shredded beets, cilantro, et cetera).

Growing up, it seemed every other week my family would have a dinner party with my

parents’ friends. They, by extension, became part of my family. A random Tuesday would suddenly become a reprieve in the form of food and fun conversation with friends in between our hectic days. Regulars included Breanne, who always made hummus out of beets or another unique vegetable, and Mikayla, who always brought various salads and cocktails.

We had barbecues, Sunday roasts and casual dinners. Although I stood out as a very shy and socially awkward child, the invitees always made me feel welcome, asking me questions about myself or inviting me to try a dish on the table.

These traditions have always drawn me to the dinner party scene, but in the first few years of college, I didn’t really have the right kitchen to construct a proper dinner. (The 10’ by 3’ kitchens of East Fairchild don’t exactly lend themselves to hosting).

When I moved into my first apartment this year, I felt like it was my responsibility to bring dinner parties to my college experience.

My roommates and I have hosted several formal dinner parties, such as a holiday potluck for the rowing team (where I made the aforementioned salad) and an art party where friends crafted and ate appetizers. I always love a reason to dress up, so

these events were a perfect excuse for me to be put together and see everyone’s cute outfits.

But even just making summer rolls with my roommates or eating dinner on the floor of our kitchen can feel like a dinner party in itself. Having a simple homemade meal with loved ones creates a sense of calm and joy for me. Conversation flows easily, laughter abounds and good food is a given.

Acts of service are always involved in the dinner party experience as well. I am grateful for friends and guests who offer to clean up dishes or bring food to help, even though my roommates and I already find joy in hosting. As in my dinner parties at home, the guests make the cleaning process fun rather than grueling.

In hosting dinner parties, I also found comfort and routine in cutting a cucumber the same way my mom does, thinking of my dog at home that always eats the ends. Since I am now the host, I obviously can’t be as shy as I was as a child (and in general, I’m not anymore). I’m heavily involved in the set up and make sure to talk to new people to make them feel comfortable, as I saw my mom do when I was a kid. And I feel the same excitement of seeing my friends in a new setting, wherein everyone can take a break from their everyday lives and reconnect.

At the holiday party, I made way too much salad with haphazardly chopped vegetables and an unideal kale-to-beet ratio. But, I felt the same excitement I felt at home helping my mom make food that people enjoyed.

I have realized that what makes a dinner party is not the fanfare or expensive place settings (though those dinner parties are valuable in their own right). Instead, it’s the company you keep, the way that spending time together over a meal allows you to revisit old memories, create new inside jokes and feel a little fancy.

In other words, hosting a dinner party involves creating a meal and feeling gratitude for the people that surround you. It brings you back to key details of life that are sometimes overlooked, from lively conversations with loved ones to a hint of cilantro in your salad.

Chiara Kim is a Medill junior. She can be contacted at chiarakim2025@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.

Hwang: A Californian’s love letter to walking in the cold SCOTT HWANG

COLUMNIST

Sound travels farther on cold days. The sound waves that would normally dissipate into the air instead bounce against layers of warmer air that blanket the surface, and so fall back to the ground. That’s the physics explanation, at least.

I think it’s that there’s no one out making noise.

When I first stepped outside one Saturday two weeks ago, that was what I noticed. The quiet, the stillness.

Then, the sounds I didn’t normally hear — faraway sounds, the hum of heating units from buildings I couldn’t identify and the sputtering of cars I couldn’t see. I could also hear myself. Breathing, footsteps, the echo of wind in my ears. I could imagine, for a second, being the only person in the world.

This is my second year in Evanston, but my first time really facing the winter. Last year’s season was mild; this time around has been the coldest in years. I feared the cold, but recently I’ve come to love it. However unpleasant the winter may be, it’s also beautiful.

I’m a proud NorCal kid. My freshman year, I put on a brave face and held out as long as possible before getting my winter coat out –– just to show I wasn’t weak against the cold.

I am very, very weak against the cold.

This year, while Evanston shuddered from wind chill in the minus 20s — cold enough that it doesn’t matter if you report it in Fahrenheit or Celsius — the temperature back home in the Bay Area didn’t dip below 40. I’ve learned my lesson. The coat goes on without shame.

On that walk two weeks ago, I did see a few other people on the street. They were bundled up like me, behind scarves, beanies and masks. Hidden in thick coats, they looked like children dressed by loving parents, top-heavy. Unlike children, they looked down and hunched forward, as if gravity pulled them at an angle. It is a kind of gravity, the cold. It pulls you to wherever you’re going.

My friends back home divide people into two types. There are the purposeful walkers, who know where they want to be and will be there shortly. They travel the hypotenuse of every right triangle, the shortest path between their departure and their arrival.

That’s not me. I’m a meanderer. I don’t take the hypotenuse, nor the two sides, but I’ll wander between and around the three sides until eventually I stumble upon where I’m going.

When I walk — and I love to walk — I prefer to do so without a destination in mind. A meanderer can do anything on a walk. Sometimes I want to think, or to feel happy or sad, or just to avoid doing whatever I was doing. I end up by Lake Michigan a lot. I’ll walk up and down the lakefill choosing my favorite painted rocks, or I’ll head south far past street names I recognize.

Not this quarter, though. I’ve been to the lake only twice, and each time only briefly. It’s too cold to meander; the hypotenuse looks much more appealing when my eyelashes start to freeze. The winter makes purposeful walkers out of us all.

And yet. On that quiet, still, cold, cold Saturday,

”

On that quiet, still, cold, cold Saturday, as I walked past the top-heavy strangers toward some destination I’ve since forgotten, armored with my heavy coat and scarf and beanie and frozen eyelashes, I found myself stopping. I looked around, and I listened.

- SCOTT HWANG, columnist

as I walked past the top-heavy strangers toward some destination I’ve since forgotten, armored with my

Lachman: To seek or not to seek (discomfort) ETHAN LACHMAN

OPINION EDITOR

When school breaks roll around, I’m always excited to go home. I’m excited to spend time with my family, to see my dogs, to see the familiar street names, restaurants and hiking spots I grew up with.

When I go home, I feel comfort.

But, time and time again, as I’ve scanned my boarding pass to get on the plane out of O’Hare, something funny has happened. I’m wearing my regular plane outfit — slightly tattered sweatpants, an old shirt and my “Seek Discomfort” hoodie — a flight attendant will look at me and say: “Seek Discomfort? Why would you want to do that?”

It’s a valid question.

To back up for a second, Seek Discomfort is the retail brand associated with the company and popular YouTube channel Yes Theory. I began watching their videos in high school, which range from adventures like exploring abandoned towns to asking strangers to take a trip across the world with them.

In addition to watching Yes Theory videos, I’ve collected basically an entire outfit out of Seek Discomfort apparel: sweatshirts, shirts, shorts, socks and hats. I don’t consider myself a huge fan of shopping, but for Seek Discomfort, I make an exception.

I wear the Seek Discomfort sweatshirt because it’s a reminder of the mindset I want to have. Yes Theory

says “Seek Discomfort” not with the goal of making someone uncomfortable but with the goal of promoting growth — realizing that we become our best selves when we push ourselves to be courageous, to face our fears and realize they don’t define us.

Some of Yes Theory’s other signature phrases include “Love Over Fear” and “Walk Freely.” A central tenet of the Seek Discomfort mindset is to interact with strangers and revel in our shared humanity.

Yes Theory is bound together by a community of “Seekers,” the name for the channel’s devoted fanbase. Rather than just being fans, though, Seekers actively meet up around the world to better their lives and work together to Seek Discomfort. When I’ve walked around campus with my merch on, I’ve been stopped by strangers who wanted to tell me they liked my sweatshirt or even had a similar one.

As someone with many fears and anxieties, Seek Discomfort first appealed to me because I felt helpless. I saw an incredibly close-knit group of friends going on crazy adventures — from taking trips around the world to spending the night on a huge hammock over a cliff — and I wanted to be like them. If I could just get myself to do that, I thought, then my life would be better.

But, as I watched more videos, it was more the community that I saw unfold on screen than the adventures they went on that resonated with me.

I realized I didn’t need to travel the world or take daily ice baths to seek discomfort. I could just work on opening myself up to people and on prioritizing relationships — like getting over my nerves about

texting a friend to meet for lunch. I could seek discomfort inch by inch until it became a habit.

With that said, it also didn’t contradict the Seek Discomfort motto for me to be going home to spend time in my childhood room, with home-cooked meals and the comfort of my family. I was seeking comfort in my family, but to me, that is the entire point of Seek Discomfort: You can’t truly bond with people without seeking a little discomfort.

I’m worried that in this short piece, I almost did a disservice to emphasizing how much Yes Theory means to me. After all, it’s daunting to try to encapsulate their impact on my life with just this column, which is why I’ve put off writing about them for so long. But even in writing this, I’m seeking some kind of discomfort.

The motto Seek Discomfort is short, powerful and almost jarring, but within it is another message entirely. Whenever I wear my Seek Discomfort shirt — which I’m wearing as I write this — I own my flaws. I own that the improvements I have to make are not burdens but beautiful opportunities. I own my humanity and the fact that I can always become a better version of myself.

Ethan Lachman is a Medill junior. He can be contacted at ethanlachman2025@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.

heavy coat and scarf and beanie and frozen eyelashes, I found myself stopping. I looked around, and I listened.

The trees had long since lost their leaves, so I could see the bend and split of each branch hovering in front of the blue sky. The breeze stirred lightly as if the wind itself didn’t want to break the silence. And the snow — the snow! — in its crisp white, untrodden upon. I was wandering through a snapshot, frozen in temperature and in time.

This was the meanderer’s dream. The winter cold pushed everyone inside, and it left behind a gift: a world outside the norm. No, I couldn’t wander out there forever. But for a short while, I could feel out of space and out of time, alone with my breath and footsteps.

Sound travels farther on cold days — or does it?

Maybe the best explanation is something else. Maybe as we rush from building to building, we cannot help but notice something missing: the noises of our normal days. We pause to notice it. Maybe the cold begs that, just this time, we listen a little closer.

Scott Hwang is a Weinberg sophomore. He can be contacted at scotthwang2026@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 146, Issue 5 Editor in Chief Managing Editors Avani Kalra Lily Carey Opinion Editor Ethan Lachman Assistant Opinion Editor Chiara Kim

Colin Crawford Shannon Tyler Jacob Wendler Ashley Lee Micah Sandy Danny O’Grady

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5

NU students embrace radiance at Sunrise Yoga

By JERRY WU

the daily northwestern @jerrwu

As the sun begins to rise every Tuesday and Thursday, some Northwestern students make their way to Henry Crown Sports Pavilion for some early morning exercise.

NU Recreation holds free Sunrise Yoga group sessions, inviting students to practice yoga at the break of dawn. For over eight years, the class has attracted a broad audience of all skill levels, according to Nancy Tierney, NU’s associate director of fitness and wellness.

“I think it’s a beautiful way to start the day,” she said. “It begins with a quiet reflection, and then a warm up, and gradually awakens the body through a variety of yoga postures, and breathing, balance and mobility.”

The studio is lined with mirrors and equipped with mats, blocks and straps for participants. Though students cannot physically bathe in the sun rays, many attendees said the act of waking up early in the morning and exercising gets them in the right mindset for the day.

Weinberg sophomore Sarine Meguerditchian started attending Sunrise Yoga classes during her freshman year. She said she leaves each session with a new sense of mental clarity.

“What made me go into Sunrise Yoga was just getting my day started off on good grounding and good footing for both my body and my mind,” she said. “I think that this (class) has the most focus on mental clarity and taking time to focus on all aspects of your body.”

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, NU Recreation was forced to cut some exercise classes due to a constrained budget. However, participation in yoga classes has consistently grown, returning to pre-pandemic levels, Tienery said.

Weinberg sophomore Nikolas Sung, who started attending Sunrise Yoga during Fall Quarter, said his walk along the lakefill to the class at sunrise enhances his morning yoga experience.

“I think of that morning breeze and the feeling of being fresh, as well as the peace and the restfulness I experienced there, that really

Illustration by Isabel Su

Sunrise Yoga is offered at the Henry Crown Sports Pavilion every Tuesday and Thursday at 7:00 a.m.

helped me throughout the day,” Sung said. “It’s been really nice to see everyone show up and really try new things out.”

The hour-long session features live instruction of various repetitive moves to build grounding and physical balance while delving

deeper into stretches.

Students said consistent attendance at the classes can be a challenge, but many said sacrificing a few hours of sleep has been the key to unlocking and promoting better mental health.

“I think when I’m going into my day, I feel

a little bit more stable,” Meguerditchian said. “(Yoga) relieves your anxieties before having stressors that might be building throughout the day.” jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

LAST 3 DAYS FOR SENIOR PORTRAITS! DON'T GET LEFT OUT OF THE YEARBOOK'S SENIOR SECTION GEORGE R. R. MARTIN CREATOR OF "GAME OF THRONES" CLASS OF 1970 NU SYLLABUS YEARBOOK PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS WILL BE IN NORRIS FOR A LIMITED TIME. Several poses will be taken – in your own clothes and with cap and gown. Your choice will be available for purchase. All senior portraits must be taken by Prestige Portraits/Life Touch. $10 sitting fee required.

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

INVESTIGATION

ROCK

letter published by the website.

Marschall’s complaint cited October events including a vigil to honor lives lost in Gaza and a walkout calling for support of Palestinians, both hosted by NU Students for Justice in Palestine, as incidents of antisemitic harassment.

“I submitted the complaint as a journalist deeply concerned about the campus environment for Jewish students,” Marschall told The Daily.

University spokesperson Jon Yates told The Daily the University does not tolerate antisemitism or other discriminatory acts.

“The University will respond to the Department of Education and cooperate with its investigation,” Yates said. “The complaint against Northwestern was not filed by a member of our community but instead by an outside organization.”

The department has opened investigations into dozens of other universities for discrimination against Jewish students based on shared ancestry, including Arizona State University and Yale University most recently.

The investigations come as Israel’s continued ground and air offensive in the Gaza Strip has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians — according to Palestinian officials — following the militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 Israelis, according to Israeli officials.

Yates added that the investigation will not affect the work of the President’s Advisory Committee on Preventing Antisemitism and Hate.

University President Michael Schill published names of committee members Tuesday after announcing the group in November.

event. Organizers provided paint and gloves for participants.

Weinberg senior Mohammed Tulaimat, who is from Syria, echoed the sentiment that Arab students do not receive sufficient support on campus.

“Waking up every morning and knowing that people like me are being killed by my own government, supported by my own government and by my own University, it’s a frustrating feeling,” he said.

“To have any opportunity in any place where I can stand up for my people and speak out feels almost obligatory.”

After repainting The Rock, students joined hands for a sunset vigil honoring the over 25,000 Palestinian civilians killed by Israel’s offensive in the Gaza Strip since the militant group Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people, according to Israeli and Palestinian authorities.

SJP organizers read off a list of demands at the vigil, calling for the University to cut ties with companies supporting Israeli forces. These companies include Boeing and General Dynamics — whose former chief executive officers sit on NU’s Board of Trustees.

Organizers also demanded the University publish an annual financial report detailing all NU assets, including the assets of third-party investment managers, to ensure transparency.

“Northwestern … should make it a priority to promote scholarship for the purpose of making a world in which it can exist without investing in death,” an SJP member, who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons, said.

Several students who attended the vigil recited works by Palestinian poets and original poems about the ongoing violence in Gaza.

SESP sophomore Malik Middleton, the external community outreach director of Vibrant Colors Collective, highlighted the role of artists in creating

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samanthapowers2026@u.northwestern.edu

GRASSROOTS From page 1

the ones that most thoroughly understand the sentiments of the local community both in terms of its citizens and its advocates,” Neumann said.

Evanston has historically high levels of Democratic volunteerism and a friendly rivalry with other blue communities in cities like Berkeley, California, and Oak Park, Illinois, Neumann said. DPOE plans to assemble teams of volunteers for the Democratic National Convention hosted in Chicago this summer.

Directed by the national Democratic party, DPOE is tasked with “generating local enthusiasm” leading up to the convention and

assembling teams of local volunteers to assist with everything from directing attendees from the airport to facilitating convention activities, Neumann said.

Evanston Township Republicans and the Evanston Republican Organization did not respond to a request for comment. But, the Republican National Convention, set for July, will take place just over the Wisconsin border in Milwaukee.

Other local activists see the Democratic convention — and the national attention it will bring toward the Chicago area — as an opportunity to raise awareness. Along with other reproductive advocacy groups, the members of Chicago for Abortion Rights plan to demonstrate on Aug. 18, the night before the Democratic convention. The group is demanding

change.

“It is important for artists to also speak up and to do work that serves us and liberates us in every way possible,” he said. “Everyone has a role in liberation.”

Medill senior April Li, co-president of the Asian Pacific American Coalition and a former Daily staffer, said it’s important for the Asian American community to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

Li, whose father was a student in Beijing during the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, said hearing about his experience taught her about the power students hold over their educational institutions. “(NU administrators) want you to think that you’re disempowered because they feel so threatened,” Li said. “But we outnumber them by so much, and we are the reason the University is successful. We bring in the knowledge, the resources, the money, so without us, they would be nothing.”

VOTING

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the repeal of the Hyde Amendment — which prohibits the use of federal funds for abortions and other reproductive health priorities.

The demonstration was designed to “pressure Democrats in an election year to do more for abortion access,” CFAR advocate Anne Rumberger said.

“I think that the role of a lot of grassroots organizations is to push our Democratic politicians in more progressive directions,” Rumberger said. “ W hat local organizations are great at is identifying local needs … using their power to educate and build a base around an issue and then pressuring elected officials to deliver on the demands of the movement.”

hasn’t begun meeting, but anticipates more activity surrounding the task force in the spring.

Martin — who introduced a ranked-choice voting bill to the Chicago City Council last year — said ranked-choice voting would benefit the city in municipal races and “get people more engaged in the election process.”

In terms of the implementation of rankedchoice voting in Evanston, questions remain ahead of 2025.

At a City Council meeting last December, Alexandra Ruggie, Evanston’s interim corporation council, said the Cook County Clerk’s Office has raised some questions about the change, particularly on integrating the reform into the voting machines.

Sally Daly, Cook County’s deputy clerk of communications, said the county is anticipating the state task force’s report to inform its approach to implementing ranked-choice voting in a statement to The Daily.

Other cities across the state are also awaiting the task force’s findings before making any final decisions. In December, Oak Park decided not to go ahead with a ranked-choice voting ballot referendum in the spring primary after some board members noted procedural challenges to implementation.

While the ranked-choice voting method may be new to some voters, some elected officials say they’ve found their constituents are generally open to the idea.

State Rep. Kam Buckner (D-Chicago), who introduced a bill in the Illinois State House last year to give municipalities the ability to adopt ranked-choice voting, said many people seem to be receptive to this new approach.

“When you sit down and explain to people what it means and what it could mean for democracy and how it works, they warm up to that idea extremely quickly,” Buckner said.

“What we’re facing right now is the ability to inform people.”

Williams echoed Buckner in saying that FairVote Illinois aims to educate voters about ranked-choice voting and movement-building at the local level.

Buckner says he hopes Illinois will join the trend of states across the country pushing for RCV implementation. Maine and Alaska use RCV in their federal and state elections, and cities such as New York City and San Francisco use the method as well.

“There’s a burgeoning movement afoot,” Buckner said. “People around the country are paying attention, and I don’t want Illinois to be late to the party.”

hannahwebster2027@u.northwestern.edu

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Joyce Li/The Daily Northwestern

About 400 students left handprints in the colors of the Palestinian flag on The Rock Wednesday.

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Northfield couple in 80s seek assistance in 1) Transcription and preparation of third volume of oral history into book format 2) Preparation of family genealogy 3) Cataloguing and Distribution of 3000 volume library 4) Inventorying and distribution of accumulated objects.

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23 Pro Bowl org.

24 California’s Big __ 25 Treat haricot verts to extra plant food?

32 Longtime “Dancing With the Stars” judge Goodman 33 “My bad” 34 Zelenskyy’s country: Abbr.

36 Range units 39 Hubbub 40 __ del Carmen, Mexico 42 Give some oomph to pot stickers?

45 “No time to talk!”

46 Half of an interrogation pair 47 Decryption need 48 Highway sign no.

50 WWII carrier 51 Dreyer’s partner in ice cream 52 Concerns for commuters, or an apt title for this puzzle 55 Corn Belt state 58 Shiraz resident 59 Milton setting 63 Pub contest 64 Disciplined, in a way 65 Roof overhang 66 Place to build 67 Months and months 68 Was positive DOWN 1 Band aid 2 Sidekick 3 Stuffed shirt 4 Length 5 Some drawings

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

7

Chicago area hospitals maintain mask mandates

By EDWARD SIMON CRUZ

the daily northwestern @edwardsimoncruz

As contagious respiratory illnesses — particularly COVID-19, influenza and RSV — began spreading this winter season, several healthcare facilities in Evanston and the Chicago area reinstated their mask mandates starting at the end of December.

The Illinois Department of Public Health recommended universal masking at healthcare facilities in counties with high levels of COVID-19 hospitalizations or respiratory illness transmissions.

Endeavor Health, which includes NorthShore University Health System’s Evanston Hospital, required masks for people with respiratory illness symptoms beginning Dec. 26. Cook County Health began requiring masks for all staff, patients

and visitors in waiting rooms and exam rooms that same day. Rush University System for Health instituted a similar mandate Jan. 2. Northwestern Medicine requires masks for patients with respiratory symptoms and upon request in patient rooms.

“We’re thinking about who we are trying to protect, and that tends to be our really vulnerable patients, and we consider patients that are in the hospital to be one of those vulnerable populations,” said Dr. Jennifer Grant, an infectious disease physician with Endeavor Health.

According to data from the Cook County Department of Public Health, the number of reported COVID-19 cases increased through December 2023, peaking at about 2,300 cases the week of Dec. 23.

By Jan. 5, the IDPH reported flu activity was increasing to levels similar to winter 2020, while RSV activity was stabilizing.

“This year was more similar to a pre-pandemic

rate in terms of RSV and influenza,” said Dr. Sharon Welbel, director of infection control and hospital epidemiology at Cook County Health. “And then, of course, we have COVID, which really isn’t seasonal. The numbers do go up and down during seasons, largely because people are gathered more inside than they are outside.”

As of Jan. 23, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classified Illinois as having a low activity level for respiratory illness. The number of reported COVID-19 cases has declined each subsequent week since Dec. 23, according to Cook County data. IDPH data shows hospital admissions for COVID-19, the flu and RSV trending down from Jan. 6 to Jan. 13.

However, Dr. John Segreti, medical director of infection control and prevention at RUSH, said it was too soon to reduce his health system’s mask mandates.

“As we’ve seen in the past, the numbers can start

to come down and then go up again,” Segreti said.

“So until we’re satisfied that the numbers are coming down and staying down, we won’t be changing our mask recommendations.”

For areas with medium or high COVID-19 hospitalization rates, the CDC recommends high-quality masks for people at high risk of getting very sick and self-testing for those who have come into contact with someone at high risk. Anyone can choose to mask anytime.

The CDC suggests everyone six months and older receive an influenza vaccine annually as well as the updated COVID-19 vaccine for 2023-24. As of Jan. 6, about 27.5% of Illinois adults had received the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

“I highly recommend being vaccinated because we know from a lot of data that they are safe and effective,” Welbel said.

edwardcruz2027@u.northwestern.edu

Data Visualization by William Tong

Daily COVID-19 cases and 7-day average for cases in Evanston, as of Jan. 23, 2024. Only includes confirmed COVID cases in Evanston residents.

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MEN’S BASKETBALL

’Cats beat out Fighting Illini in overtime nail-biter

By JAKE EPSTEIN

daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Twenty-two days after Northwestern’s Champaign campaign encountered unyielding resistance before a hostile State Farm Center crowd, No. 10 Illinois looked to invade its northern adversary’s arena and escape with a victory.

Winners in three of their last four battles, the Fighting Illini (14-5, 5-3 Big Ten) headed home with a chink in their armor, falling to the Wildcats (14-5, 5-3 Big Ten) in overtime.

Both squads traded blows from tipoff, matching one another stride for stride en route to a 6-6 split at the first media timeout. After graduate student guard Boo Buie handed NU a three-point lead on his signature floater, Illinois launched a 6-0 run to capture a 17-14 advantage midway through the first half.

Although the ‘Cats unleashed a pointed paint attack through much of the frame, junior forward Brooks Barnhizer’s 3-pointer knotted the contest at 27 apiece with three minutes and 20 seconds remaining in the period.

The Fighting Illini fortified a five-point advantage in response, but the hosts’ veteran playmaker carried a few more tricks up his sleeve to snatch the matchup’s momentum. In the half’s final minute, Buie beat the buzzer on two separate driving layups to

give NU a 34-32 halftime lead.

Illinois guard Quincy Guerrier and graduate student guard Ryan Langborg both knocked down 3-pointers in the second half’s inaugural 38 seconds. Held scoreless in the first half, senior guard Ty Berry notched a nifty eight early points on 3-of-3 shooting to help keep the ‘Cats in front.

NU clung to a 60-57 advantage once the under-eight timeout struck, but Fighting Illini guards Terrence Shannon Jr. and Luke Goode sank 4-of-4 shots from the charity stripe, before Illinois guard Marcus Domask added an and-one to the mix.

In just a blink, the Fighting Illini held the upper hand. However, Buie and Berry’s savvy drew the teams back to level pegging.

As the arena speakers blared AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck,” the rivals headed into crunch-time locked at 72-72.

Coach Chris Collins’ and Illinois coach Brad Underwood’s squads could not be separated in 40 minutes of play, as the brawl extended into overtime tied at 76.

After the ‘Cats scored the overtime period’s first nine points, Buie drained a 3-pointer to stretch his team’s lead to double digits and ice the contest.

Here are three takeaways from NU’s overtime victory.

1. Nicholson, Shannon return to respective starting lineups After the ‘Cats suffered a 96-66 defeat to the Fighting Illini Jan. 2, coach Chris

Collins replaced senior center Matthew Nicholson with sophomore forward Luke Hunger in his starting five against Michigan State.

Collins said he made the move in search of a much-needed spark and kept the sophomore in his starting lineup for five consecutive games. While Nicholson came off the bench, he still received the lion share of front court minutes, logging 27 minutes in last Saturday’s loss at Nebraska.

Following a nine-point, six-rebound performance in Lincoln, Nicholson reclaimed his starting spot Wednesday night — with Hunger sidelined. He more than made up for lost time, slamming home NU’s opening bucket and recording a defensive stop on the other end.

Meanwhile, Shannon reclaimed his spot in coach Brad Underwood’s starting lineup in his second game back from suspension.

The home crowd directed a chorus of boos at the fifth-year whenever he toted the rock Wednesday.

3-pointers in the game’s opening 15 minutes. NU’s bread and butter appeared to take root inside the painted area.

The ‘Cats scored their first 20 points in the paint, with Buie snapping the streak on a long range rendition of his signature floater. Still, NU tallied 26 of its 34 first-half points in the lane. The Fighting Illini had scored just 14 points in the paint at that juncture.

3. Second-half Barnhizer brings the heat, helps secure overtime victory Recently, the surname Barnhizer has become synonymous with second-half dominance. The junior guard appears to

garner an extra gear when matchups strike the crucial moments that separate wins and losses.

In 19 first-half minutes, Barnhizer tallied seven points on a 3-of-7 shooting clip. A respectable figure for the Lafayette, Indiana, native, but he packed significant reserves ready for activation.

Draining his first 5-of-6 second-half field goals — including two 3-pointers — Barnhizer surged to 12 points in the frame. Each of Barnhizer’s 19 regulation points proved pivotal for the ‘Cats, but he’d land an even bigger blow in overtime, capitalizing on a four-point-play. jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

2. The ‘Cats capitalize on paint production During last Saturday’s Lincoln trip, Collins’ group poured in a barrage of 3-pointers, converting seven downtown looks in the first half alone. NU’s opening 12 points against the Cornhuskers came from beyond the arc.

Wednesday proved a staunchly different tale, as the ‘Cats attempted just two

Alyce Brown/Daily Senior Staffer

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Northwestern prepares for rematch against Penn State

By HENRY FRIEMAN and CHARLIE SPUNGIN

1. Turnover battle will be critically important

3. NU’s defense is statistically worst in country

Eight days out from an East Lansing letdown at Michigan State, Northwestern returns home to a thawed Lake Michigan and temperatures above freezing.

Evanston’s snow accumulation appears to be melting, but in their frosty white uniforms, Penn State remains a bitter opponent for Thursday’s grudge match at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

In their last battle, the Nittany Lions (13-5, 4-3 Big Ten) blew the Wildcats (7-11, 2-5 Big Ten) out of the water in a 95-55 win. NU compiled 30 turnovers and allowed four Penn State starters to eclipse doubledigit scoring outputs.

On their home court, however, the ’Cats will look to even up the season series. Here are three key statistics to catch up on ahead of Thursday’s tilt:

This year, the ’Cats have been remarkably loose with the ball. They currently rank 247th in the NCAA in turnovers, averaging 17.3 turnovers per game.

This lofty figure, however, has been trending downward in recent weeks — early on in the season, NU averaged close to 20 turnovers per game.

But, their season-high of 30 turnovers came against the Nittany Lions on Jan. 2.

In their last three games (a 1-2 stretch), the ’Cats have done a much better job of protecting the rock, committing just 12 turnovers per game.

They have won four of their last six games in which they have committed 15 or fewer turnovers.

Penn State is just ten spots above NU in the NCAA turnover rankings, sitting at 237th with 17.1 turnovers per game.

If the ’Cats can play strong defense and limit their mistakes, the turnover battle’s bragging rights could certainly be up for grabs –– which may decide the game.

Through the season’s first 18 games, the ’Cats ranked dead last in the country in defensive rating — the number of points a team allows per 100 possessions — at 110.8.

That marks women’s college basketball’s worst defense since the 2017-18 season, when the University of Evansville posted a 111.0 grade.

The next worst Big Ten defense this season is Rutgers, with a 99.5 defensive rating.

The NU defense has been trending downward since conference play began. In four of the ’Cats’ last five games, Big Ten opponents have exceeded the 90-point mark. NU lost all four of those matchups by at least 15 points.

The ’Cats will need to batten down the hatches and tighten up their rotations on defense to stand any chance of leaving Welsh-Ryan Arena victorious Thursday.

the daily northwestern @henryfrieman @charliespungin

2. Daley, Pina picking up scoring intensity Junior guard Melannie Daley started the season on a torrid pace, averaging 18.5 points per game in her first four starts. Daley, who missed most of last season with an undisclosed injury, appeared to be the newest star in NU’s offense before a cold December stretch.

However, she has steadily been producing throughout January and scored a month-high 18 points against Michigan State. In her last three games, Daley has tallied an average of 13 points per game.

In NU’s seven wins this season, Daley has averaged 18.4 points per game. If her midrange jumper falls the right way Thursday, the team’s offensive attack will have a huge boost.

Graduate student guard Maggie Pina, a transfer from Boston University, has seen her minutes increase over the last few games and started against Michigan State over Daley. She has averaged nine points per game in her previous three games, shooting 6-of-10 from deep over that stretch.

If the two teams’ last meeting spells

anything in terms of points scored, a three-point sniper will be pivotal for the ’Cats’ chances of victory.

henryfrieman2027@u.northwestern.edu charliespungin2027@u.northwestern.edu