The Daily Northwestern Tuesday, April 18, 2017
DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 8 SPORTS/Men’s Tennis
3 CAMPUS/Diversity and Inclusion
Cats roll past MSU, fall against Michigan
Faculty plan goals for new Native American and Indigenous Studies Research Center
Find us online @thedailynu 4 OPINION/Letter to the editor
Turkish elections raise populism yet again
High 74 Low 60
State leaders discuss Trump
Durbin, Schakowsky speak about resistance By RYAN WANGMAN
the daily northwestern @ryanwangman
CHICAGO — U.S. Sen Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and U.S. Rep Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) discussed health care, immigration and the investigation of President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia during a town hall in Chicago on Monday. Organizers planned the town hall — held at the Irish American Heritage Center, 4626 N. Knox Ave. — to challenge the elected officials to offer tangible solutions for contentious political issues. The event’s leaders came from Indivisible IL-5, a group representing constituents from Illinois’ 5th District focused on resisting Trump’s agenda, holding local officials accountable and embracing progressive values. U.S. Rep Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), State Sen. Ann Williams (D-Chicago) and State Sen. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) were also in attendance. At the town hall, Durbin said one of his biggest priorities as a congressman was to protect the » See TOWN, page 6
Colin Boyle/Daily Senior Staffer
The sorority quad at Northwestern University. Executive director of residential services Jennifer Luttig-Komrosky said a majority of Norovirus cases have been reported in fraternity and sorority housing.
Campus-wide illness likely Norovirus
University suspects highly contagious disease cause of recent outbreak in student halls By CATHERINE KIM
the daily northwestern @ck_525
Northwestern officials suspect the cause of a recent illness outbreak among on-campus residences to be Norovirus. Executive director of residential services Jennifer LuttigKomrosky sent out an email April 10 announcing reports of an illness in residential housing with symptoms of diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. The majority of cases have been reported in
fraternity and sorority housing, Luttig-Komrosky said. Northwestern University Health Service has since then released an update through their website, which states Norovirus as the most probable cause, providing a list of cautionary actions students should take. In addition to avoiding or limiting contact with infected people, Health Service’s recommendations to students include frequently washing hands; refraining from sharing food, drinks or eating utensils; and cleaning all infected areas
thoroughly. Robert Dennis Palinkas, executive director of Health Service, said Norovirus is common in areas where large groups live together. “This is a ubiquitous virus, very common virus in the environment, and it’s not uncommon to have the occasional outbreak like we are hearing reports of,” Palinkas said. “This is the very same virus that has been implicated in outbreaks on ships and other types of facilities.” Despite the illness reports, Palinkas said little can be done
to prevent viral infections such as Norovirus other than continued good hygiene practices. People do not develop immunity to the common virus and there is no existing vaccine to prevent it, he said. In response to the illness reports, residential services is working closely with campus partners, including the health center, facility management, custodian groups and the City of Evanston Department of Health to ensure students are taken care of, Luttig-Komrosky said.
Residential services is also providing free cleaning services to fraternity and sorority houses, Luttig-Komrosky said. Cleaning services will be available to clean all hard services such as the kitchen, bathrooms, doorknobs and entries, she said. To support sick students who were under quarantine — Norovirus is highly contagious — residential services is delivering meals to students who are unable to participate in a dining program, including those who » See ILLNESS, page 6
County starts new health program New coordinator Direct access service for uninsured residents begins enrollment By ZOE MILLER
the daily northwestern
A new Cook County health care program geared toward the uninsured began enrolling residents earlier this month. The direct access health care program, which was unanimously approved as an ordinance by Cook County commissioners in September, began in March. A direct access program is a type of health care program that establishes a network of centers that enrollees can use without paying initial fees. The program was first proposed to the county by Healthy Communities Cook County, a group of healthcare organizations that advocates for improved healthcare access for uninsured residents. Cook County commissioners Bridget Gainer, Jesus Garcia and Robert Steele supported the program. The program was established
discusses equity By AARON BOXERMAN
the daily northwestern
Source: Heather Charles (Chicago Tribune/TNS)
Cook County commissioner Bridget Gainer speaks at a meeting in 2012. Gainer supported a new direct health care program geared toward uninsured residents.
to help uninsured, low-income residents of Cook County obtain more affordable care, said Micaela Vargas, Gainer’s chief of staff. Often, she said, uninsured, low-income residents
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
live in the U.S. without documentation and therefore do not qualify for the Affordable Care Act — an Obama-era bill that aimed to expand American healthcare.
Paradoxically, when uninsured people avoid health care because of cost, they end up being forced to pay more in the » See HEALTH, page 6
Rev. Dr. Patricia Efiom, Evanston’s new equity and empowerment coordinator, had some tough questions for the city at a town hall on Monday at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center. “Can we own up as a city that we’re racist? Can we own up that we’re sexist, as a city?” Efiom asked a crowd of about 25 people. The town hall was the first in a series of five meetings planned to address “issues of access, equity and empowerment,” in the city, according a news release. The meetings, moderated by Efiom, mark a new effort by the city to more intentionally address issues like the achievement gap in education and affordable housing. Efiom began her talk with a 20 minute presentation on her new role and the meaning of equity and empowerment. Equity is not the same as equality and
diversity, she said, drawing sharp distinctions between the three concepts. “We always look at diversity and try to attack it by putting these Band-Aids on,” Efiom said. “When we’re talking about equity, we’re now talking about a very different thing. … (Equity) is looking systematically at what are the barriers that prevent marginalized people from fully participating.” After Efiom’s presentation, Evanston residents discussed some of those barriers: the achievement gap in education in the city’s two school districts, lack of affordable housing and the tokens required for entry to city beaches. However, Efiom cautioned against assuming what Evanston’s marginalized communities might need and speaking for them accordingly. “In order to get equity, some » See EQUITY, page 6
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