The Daily Northwestern – April 19, 2017

The Daily Northwestern Wednesday, April 19, 2017

DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 8 SPORTS/Football

3 CAMPUS/Speakers

Cats’ offensive line aims for improvement

Former Barack Obama speechwriter, NU alumnus shares White House experiences

Find us online @thedailynu 4 OPINION/Closson

Black arts deserve increased awareness

High 62 Low 43

Admins talk SAE, safety on campus University leaders gather for public conversation

By CATHERINE KIM

the daily northwestern @ck_525

Universit y President Morton Schapiro said campus safety is Northwestern’s “first priority ” during a state of the University talk Tuesday.

“Conversations with the President,” which is cosponsored by the Northwestern University Staff Advisory Council, Faculty Senate and the Office of the President, was held at the McCormick Foundation Center Forum. Schapiro, who was joined by Provost Dan Linzer, vice president for student affairs Patricia Telles-Irvin, Executive Vice President Nim Chinniah and Phil Harris, vice president and general counsel, addressed questions about the future of NU. One of the main issues discussed during the event was student safety following the death of first-year student Chuyuan “Chu” Qiu in a biking accident on Sheridan Road during Fall Q uarter. Chinniah said administrators are currently in the process of implementing changes to make Sheridan Road

safer, and that safety is the University’s top priority.

Some of the new policies include implementing a program that provides free helmets and lights upon bike registration and moving University-related traffic to early in the morning or late in the day, Chinniah said.

In November, City Council voted to reduce the speed limit on Sheridan Road from 30 mph to 25 mph, and current construction will add bike lanes on the thoroughfare.

Chinniah said faculty and staff should drive carefully on Sheridan Road, especially during high traffic hours.

“This is an issue which we all need to work together on,” Chinniah said. “As you come to campus and leave campus, please be mindful of those crossing Sheridan Road.”

Continuing the discussion of c ampus safety, administrators also spoke about the Title IX process and challenges they encountered during the investigation of reports of multiple alleged sexual assaults and druggings at the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house and another, unnamed fraternity earlier this year. On March 30, the University announced in an email to students that there would be no disciplinary » See SCHAPIRO, page 6

Oreste Visentini/The Daily Northwestern

First Bank & Trust, 820 Church St. Mayor-elect Steve Hagerty said Tuesday he would reconsider his position on the bank’s board after officials raised the possibility of a conflict.

Hagerty to review board positions Mayor-elect asked to reconsider seat on First Bank & Trust board

By DAVID FISHMAN

daily senior staffer @davidpkfishman

Mayor-elect Steve Hagerty said he would reconsider maintaining his seat on the board of First Bank & Trust after some city officials and Evanston residents raised concerns at a Monday Rules

Committee meeting.

Hagerty, who owns an Evanston-based emergency consulting business, receives a flat “stipend” for being on the bank’s board of directors, a three-year term he began in 2014. He is also on the board of Youth & Opportunity United, an Evanstonbased youth development organization.

“I need to look at my involvement in all these different boards,” Hagerty said.

“A) would I really have time to continue supporting those organizations and b) could my involvement in those organizations present a real conflict of interest?”

Hagerty said whatever decision he makes would also take into consideration

the “vital” role First Bank & Trust plays in the community as a “strong, local community bank.” He added that he was looking into ways to mitigate potential conflicts and pledged to disclose any outstanding commitments before entering office.

Cit y manager Wal l y » See HAGERTY, page 6

Musician Jeremih to headline Ball Board reviews A&O Productions, For Members Only collaborate for second time

ethics complaints

By MARIANA ALFARO

By KRISTINA KARISCH

daily senior staffer @marianaa_alfaro

Jeremih will headline this year’s A&O Ball, co-hosted

by A&O Productions and For Members Only.

This is the second year in a row FMO and A&O are collaborating for Ball. On Friday, Jeremih will perform after rapper Aminé, who is the opener. Tickets are on sale online through the Norris Box Office.

Known for his hit songs “oui” and “Don’t Tell ‘Em,” Jeremih has been active in the music scene since 2008.

The next year, the hip-hop and R&B artist rose to fame with his single “Birthday Sex,” which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.

A&O co-chair Will Corvin, a Weinberg senior, said A&O is very excited about having Jeremih headline the concert, especially after his recent

holiday mixtape with Chance the Rapper. Many Northwestern students voted for him in A&O’s poll, Corvin said.

“We really take that seriously in our decisions on which artist to bring,” he said. “Jeremih polled incredibly high, definitely one of the top artists on the poll, so we were really excited to bring an artist that students have told us in large numbers that they wanted.”

Weinberg senior Alexandra Lefkowitz, A&O’s concerts director, said the group decided Jeremih is the best fit for campus.

Jeremih and Aminé, Lefkowitz said, are a great combination.

“Aminé has an extremely popular single that we thought would be perfect to open for Jeremih, who has so many singles that people can sing along to and get excited about,” she said. » See BALL, page 6

Serving the University and Evanston since 1881

the daily northwestern @kristinakarisch

Source: A&O Productions

Jeremih

Elected officials may endorse candidates running for office, the Evanston Board of Ethics decided at a Tuesday meeting.

The board discussed a series of complaints submitted by residents that pertained to the recent municipal elections at the meeting. The board came to decisions on some of the issues and deferred judgement on others to its next meeting on May 2.

Betty Ester, a 5th Ward resident, first submitted a complaint to the city March 15 alleging that four City Council members — Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl, Ald. Peter Braithwaite (2nd), Ald. Delores Holmes (5th) and Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th) — had violated sections of the Code of Ethics

by endorsing a candidate in the recent municipal elections, according to the complaint.

All four officials named in the complaint endorsed Robin Rue Simmons, who won the race for 5th Ward alderman. Members of the Board of Ethics concluded that the endorsements did not constitute an ethics violation.

“There is no issue with an elected official endorsing a public candidate,” said Karena Bierman, a board member, who presented the board’s findings at the end of the meeting.

Ester’s complaint also addressed Holmes’ use of a city email account to announce her endorsement of Simmons in February.

Holmes claimed at the meeting that she did not intend to send the endorsement through her » See ETHICS, page 6

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

2 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

AROUND TOWN City holds second town hall to discuss equity, access

By JONAH DYLAN

daily senior staffer @thejonahdylan

Rev. Dr. Patricia Efiom hosted the second of five town halls at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Center on Tuesday night to discuss issues of access, equity and empowerment in Evanston.

“A big part of my job is to work inside of the city to break down some of the historical racism that exists in the city and the racism that exists in the policies,” Efiom said to a crowd of about 15 people.

“It’s a lot of internal training of staff and getting them to understand what equity is.”

Efiom started the discussion by outlining her plan to gain the community’s input on a potential proposal to City Council regarding equity. Though there is no such plan currently in place, Efiom said she’d like to have a proposal ready in June.

The first town hall, held at the Lorraine H. Morton Civic Center, had about 25 people in attendance. Evanston resident Alyce Barry told The Daily she was “dismayed” by the low turnout for both meetings.

“I don’t know why there aren’t more people here,” she said. “I was expecting this to be a huge meeting, because I think it’s the people in this community who need equity and empowerment more than most of the rest of Evanston. I’m sad more people didn’t come.”

POLICE BLOTTER Evanston man arrested in connection with retail theft from Jewel in south Evanston

A 22-year-old Evanston man was arrested at the Jewel-Osco in southwest Evanston on Monday afternoon in connection with a theft around 2:30 p.m.

An employee at the Jewel-Osco, 2485 Howard St., noticed the Evanston resident put liquor, headphones, diapers and wipes in a cart and leave

Barry told The Daily she wasn’t sure how the town hall was promoted, but said that may have been a factor in the low attendance.

On Tuesday, residents discussed the need to make government more accessible to every citizen.

Efiom said she planned to send a survey out to get input for her proposal to City Council, but the survey has not yet been written. She added that she would work to ensure the upcoming survey was accessible to everyone.

“I’m really tired of hearing, ‘Oh, everyone has access to a computer,’” she said. “That’s simply not true. I don’t want to hear that. I’m going to work to make everything as accessible as possible.”

Efiom was appointed in February as Evanston’s first equity and empowerment coordinator, a new position that focuses on equity in the city. Though she said she thinks the city is committed to fighting for equity, Efiom currently has no staff and no budget.

Cicely Fleming, who was recently elected 9th Ward alderman, was present at both Monday and Tuesday’s town halls. On Tuesday, she addressed potential challenges Efiom may face in her new position.

“Is this another window-dressing opportunity for us to all come together and say we’re a great city and then we check the box and get another award, or is this is an actual substantive position?” Fleming said.

Toward the end of the discussion, Efiom talked about her own experience fighting for equity, without paying, Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan said. The total value of the items was $287.85.

The man was charged with misdemeanor retail theft and will appear in court in Skokie on May 17.

Chicago man arrested for no rear registration light, invalid driver’s license

A Chicago man was arrested Tuesday in connection with an invalid driver’s license after being pulled over in central Evanston.

Jeffrey Wang/Daily Senior Staffer

Rev. Dr. Patricia Efiom speaks at an equity meeting Tuesday night. Efiom outlined a plan to gain the community’s input on a potential proposal to City Council regarding equity.

namely watching her biracial grandchildren grow up in a challenging environment.

“This is not a joke to me,” she said. “My grandson is 14, and to watch him struggle in the ways that he does in Bloomington, Indiana, it’s why I do what I do. I want you to understand that I have lived this life, and I’m going to fight for change.”

There will be three more town halls: one on Wednesday at the Civic Center at 1 p.m., one on April 25 at 1:30 p.m. in the Evanston Public Library and a final one on April 27 at 6:30 p.m. in the Levy Senior Center.

An officer stopped the vehicle in the 1600 block of Ridge Avenue for not having a rear registration light on Tuesday at 2:44 a.m.

The 35-year-old Chicago man presented an invalid license to the officer when he was pulled over, Dugan said. He was charged for both not having a rear registration light and driving with an invalid driver’s license.

The man will appear in court in Skokie on June 27. ­— Sophie Mann

jonahdylan2020@u.northwestern.edu

Setting the record straight

An article in Monday’s paper titled “NU-Q student works with refugees” misstated the number of quarters Shakeeb Asrar spent studying at Northwestern’s Evanston campus to complete a SESP certificate. Asrar spent one quarter in Evanston and another in Chicago.

The Daily regrets the error.

gigio's pizzeria Evanston's Oldest Pizzeria

10% OFF with WildCard Order online & get rewards www.gigiospizzaev.com 1001 Davis St, Evanston (847) 328-0990

Get the week's biggest stories in your inbox The Daily Northwestern

Email Newsletter

WANTED

Syllabus Yearbook 2018 Editor in Chief & Staff Students Publishing Company of Northwestern University is seeking a current undergraduate student to manage the creation of the 2018 Northwestern Yearbook. The editor in chief will be responsible for the visual and verbal content of the yearbook and will work with a student staff of writers, designers and photographers. This paid position begins in Spring Quarter 2017, with the largest time commitment in Fall Quarter 2018 through Winter Quarter 2018.

The best candidate should display: • Strong writing and editing skills (journalism experience a plus) • Creativity and graphic design skills • A keen interest in activities and life at Northwestern

Interested in leaving your mark on NU?

Sign up at: dailynorthwestern.com/email

Request an application NOW by contacting syllabus@northwestern.edu or call 847-491-7206

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 3

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

ON CAMPUS Obama speechwriter discusses career

The Daily Northwestern

the daily northwestern @ck_525

General Manager Stacia Campbell

By CATHERINE KIM

www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Peter Kotecki

eic@dailynorthwestern.com

stacia@dailynorthwestern.com

Former President Barack Obama speechwriter Stephen Krupin (Medill ’04) shared his experiences Tuesday in Harris Hall, the same “life-changing” building where he had his first speechwriting class during his freshman year at Northwestern.

Krupin spoke to a group of about 40 students for the 2017 Barry Farrell Alumni Lecture, a program held within the department of political science to bring professionals to campus.

When writing speeches for Obama, Krupin said the job went beyond writing down words the president would most likely use. He said he had to study the structure of the president’s arguments and how he would tell a story. After a draft was finished, Krupin said Obama would look it over and write in the margins, combining his edits with the existing text.

Krupin said Obama was a smart editor and “the best speechwriter in the Senate.” Obama was very involved in the process of crafting his speeches while working with his staff, Krupin said, and would remain calm and provide helpful feedback on the work.

“He’s very easy to work with,” he said. “People who have only written for Barack Obama are spoiled and don’t know how good they have it.”

During his career in the White House, Krupin said a memorable moment was when he helped a widow, who had lost her husband in combat, meet Obama. He said he had met her while conducting research for Obama’s Memorial Day speech in 2016, and upon hearing her request, did everything he could to grant her wish. She was seated in the president’s box at Arlington National Cemetery, where Obama delivered the speech and where her husband had been buried.

When the woman was mentioned in the speech, Krupin said, she received a “prolonged standing ovation from the audience.”

“I will never forget that moment,” he said. “I wrote the speech. I could not sit here right now and tell you a single line in that, but I’ll always remember what it

Holly and John Madigan Newsroom Phone | 847.491.3222 Campus desk

campus@dailynorthwestern.com

City desk

city@dailynorthwestern.com

Sports desk

sports@dailynorthwestern.com

Ad Office | 847.491.7206

spc-compshop@northwestern.edu

Noah Frick-Alofs/The Daily Northwestern

Stephen Krupin (Medill ’04) speaks at Harris Hall on Tuesday. The former speechwriter for Barack Obama shared his experiences working in the White House and gave advice to students who are looking to pursue a career in a similar field.

felt like when all of Arlington Cemetery stood and clapped for that woman.”

Krupin criticized the Donald Trump administration and said the current president’s “good or bad” view of the world is problematic. The lack of coherency throughout the administration’s speeches is a sign of disorganization and lack of communication within the office, he said.

Weinberg freshman Annie Parker said she was especially interested in Krupin’s analysis of Trump’s administration because of his prior experience working in the White House.

“When he discussed Trump’s language and talked about how he views the world (as) black and white, I thought that was very brilliant,” she said. “I thought it was really spot on.”

To those looking to be future speechwriters, Krupin emphasized the importance of writing for the “ear instead of the eye,” thus keeping the speech simplistic yet powerful.

Weinberg sophomore Ichigo Willis, who attended the event and hopes to become a speechwriter one day, said it was inspiring to hear the experiences of a fellow Wildcat succeed on Capitol Hill.

“I just wanted to know the experiences of someone who actually is a speechwriter,” Willis said. “Him being an (alumnus) is super significant to me, just to be able to possibly follow a similar path, to be able to set myself up in a position that would allow me to get to the point of success that he is at.” catherinekim2020@u.northwestern.edu

The Daily Northwestern is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, except vacation periods and two weeks preceding them and once during August, by Students Publishing Co., Inc. of Northwestern University, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208; 847-491-7206.

First copy of The Daily is free, additional copies are 50 cents. All material published herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright 2016 The Daily Northwestern and protected under the “work made for hire” and “periodical publication” clauses of copyright law.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Daily Northwestern, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208. Subscriptions are $175 for the academic year. The Daily Northwestern is not responsible for more than one incorrect ad insertion. All display ad corrections must be received by 3 p.m. one day prior to when the ad is run.

Check out DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM for breaking news

NU students: RIDE FREE on the CTA Bus #93!

Dempster & Dodge 1910 Dempster St, Evanston (847) 866-6100 Hours: Monday–Sunday 7AM–9PM

valliproduce.com San Pellegrino Sparking Beverage

Home Run Inn Thin Crust Pizza 12 inch Select Varieties

$349 Toppling Goliath Pale Ale 4pk 12oz cans

750 ml Select Varieties

$1099

$399 VALLI PRODUCE COUPON

5oz.

Select Varieties

$399

Lindemans Wines

PLU 647

Beef Gyoza Sushi

$299 Limit 1 Coupon Per Item Valid April 19–April 25, 2017

Pk.

CTA #93 NU Stops: Davis Purple Line Station, Davis & Maple, Davis & Oak, Oak & Church, Maple & Church, Emerson & Maple, Emerson & Ridge

Skinny Popcorn Mini Cakes

6pk Cans Select Varieties

$599

Students who show their Wildcard and a Valli Produce receipt for a minimum purchase of $15.00 on the purchase date at the Service Desk will receive a CTA prepaid card for route 93 which offers service to our store at Dempster & Dodge Ave.

VALLI PRODUCE COUPON

Dietz & Watson Perfect 12 inch Sandwich

PLU 648

Peppered Turkey, Mozarella Cheese, Fresh Baked Italian Bread & all the trimmings.

$499

Limit 1 Coupon Per Item Valid April 19–April 25, 2017

Nabisco Oreo Cookies Family Size 19.2–20oz.

Select Varieties

Nabisco Chips Ahoy Cookies Family Size 18.2–19.5oz.

Select Varieties

$299 Benchmark Bourbon Whiskey Old No.8 Brand 750 ml

$999 VALLI PRODUCE COUPON

PLU 649

Plantain Roll Sushi

$499 Limit 1 Coupon Per Item Valid April 19–April 25, 2017

Pk.

OPINION

Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com Page 4

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Black arts events deserve more attention, recognition TROY CLOSSON

DAILY COLUMNIST

Earlier this month, Barry Jenkins, director of Academy Award-winning film “Moonlight,” spoke on campus, drawing a packed audience and sparking conversation about the importance of diverse storytelling and art forms. Reactions were similarly enthusiastic in January, when writer Ta-Nehisi Coates spoke at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall about his personal experiences as a black writer. On campus, many conversations I’ve heard about black arts revolve around big-name speakers like Jenkins and Coates. In my experience, however, other black arts events are so rarely discussed it often seems like they don’t even exist.

But they do. And they deserve more attention.

In February, I went to “Black Lives, Black Words,” a showcase of eight studentperformed pieces which all examined different facets of black experiences. As I listened to powerful monologues and watched thoughtful performances and skits, I was impressed by the variety of complex issues and intersectionalities they addressed. “Black Lives, Black Words” provided space for me to reflect on my own experiences as a black student at Northwestern, in a way I often do not. The event was also highly attended and, as a result, stimulated campus dialogue about

blackness and the challenges of navigating being black at Northwestern. In the same month, Dittmar Gallery held an exhibit of African-influenced visual artwork portraying issues affecting the black community, both today and throughout history. Both displays of black art were uniquely intriguing, inspiring further personal reflection.

During my first year at NU, however, it’s felt like greater campus recognition of black arts rarely exists beyond Black History Month or a few famous individuals. I’ve written about the need for awareness of black history to expand past only a single month myself, and the same applies to awareness of black arts on campus.

“

Greater awareness of black arts can additionally illuminate overlooked issues that black communities face, providing outlets for purposeful reflection ...

Throughout NU, despite being less acknowledged, other student involvement in blacks arts takes place year round.

Soul4Real, a black student a cappella group at Northwestern, has performed multiple shows, despite seemingly drawing less attention than other a cappella groups

on campus. Refresh Dance Crew holds annual performances in hip-hop dance, a style drawing heavily from black culture.

Northwestern’s Black Arts Initiative, established in 2012, regularly holds events aimed, in part, at increasing student involvement in black arts. Over the past few months alone, the Black Arts Initiative has held multiple lecture series by black arts professionals, film screenings of movies that address aspects of blackness as well as brown bag lunches for participants to discuss different topics within pieces of black art.

But I rarely hear anyone talk about these smaller groups and events, even though they still hold importance.

Northwestern’s black community shouldn’t be the only one acknowledging, discussing and recognizing black arts. In my first year at NU, I’ve noticed that the arts are readily appreciated throughout campus. From regular musical performances by Bienen students to large, sold-out shows like Lipstick Theatre’s Burlesque, many forms of art draw attention throughout campus. Of course, I’m not arguing that involvement in and appreciation of these arts should decrease. I’m simply saying that black arts deserve equal recognition.

Black arts have had tangible, important impacts on more mainstream art forms and wider society throughout history. The Harlem Renaissance inspired changes in not only black art, music and literature, but also influenced other conventional art styles and general discourse regarding race. Music genres

like jazz, blues and hip-hop have deep historical roots in black culture, and provoked transformations in other styles of music like rock and roll, as well as in popular culture.

Langston Hughes, among other poets and writers, drew attention to black arts and remains an influence today. Even modern forms of black art, like Jenkins’ “Moonlight” and Coates’ “Between the World and Me,” offer valuable insights into perspectives on the black experience. And that’s exactly why they matter.

In the future, NU’s student body should devote more attention and give more recognition to black arts; and not only just those that involve famous names or popular speakers. Real engagement with diverse art has the potential to change mainstream styles and conventional practices. Greater awareness of black arts can additionally illuminate overlooked issues that black communities face, providing outlets for purposeful reflection, regardless of one’s race or ethnicity. As the U.S. continues to experience racism and discrimination, black arts serve as a meaningful way to create space for real discussion and positive change, throughout the country and on NU’s campus.

Troy Closson is a Medill freshman. He can be contacted at TroyClosson2020@u.northwestern.edu.

If you would like to respond publicly to this column, 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.

NU must do a better job for disabled, injured students ‘Cumbersome hurdles,’ lack of empathy await students with disabilities on Northwestern’s campus RUBY PHILLIPS

DAILY COLUMNIST

Over spring break, I suffered a nondisplaced fracture of the proximal tibia. Though this experience was incredibly painful in the moment, it did not compare to the terrible and cumbersome hurdles I have had to jump since returning to Northwestern as someone whose physical abilities have been temporarily hindered. Of course, in no way does my injury compare to those of disabled people who struggle with these issues on a daily basis in a much more real way, nor does my experience try to speak for these individuals, but I hope this account can push Northwestern and AccessibleNU to be more accommodating.

Once I got back from break, I immediately realized everything was harder. It took impossibly long to get to all my classes, especially if I had a 10-minute passing period, and I had to drop one of my classes in Technological Institute because I couldn’t get there in time. I constantly had to walk up steep flights of stairs. I couldn’t hold my food in the dining hall, and most of the service

elevators I took were extremely slow. I just felt embarrassed.

I looked into ways AccessibleNU could help me. The only seemingly helpful offer was having a class moved to a different building, but ultimately this would simply be equally inconvenient for other students in my class. Furthermore, life at NU is very walking-heavy. Even with ramps, it is incredibly hard to get from class to class in a timely fashion, and University Police or AccessibleNU provides no means of supplemental transportation, other than shuttles. Most academic buildings have ramps and elevators, with the exception of Locy Hall. However, some dormitories do not have elevators and if they do, some don’t go all the way up the building. Although I could have moved to the first floor of my dorm, that process would have been long, inconvenient and ostracizing.

But the most frustrating part about my experience on crutches hasn’t been these nuisances; rather, it has been the overall emotional discomfort. I have seen a general lack of empathy from students on this campus for people on crutches or with physical obstacles. I know this feeling is temporary and that some people deal with it every day, but every person I have spoken to assumes I am in complete agony and makes comments

implying that even the small things I do — like tying my shoe or drinking from a water fountain — seem pathetic. People automatically feel sorry for me, but maybe students should shift their mindset about injured and disabled people. Instead of expressing pity, people should remember times in their lives when they have felt similarly, or if they cannot, then simply try to empathize with different struggles in general. We all want people to understand what we are going through and to feel reciprocated — probably the most critical thing I’ve learned since being on crutches.

”

Instead of expressing pity, people should remember times in their lives when they have felt similarly, or if they cannot, then simply try to empathize with different struggles in general.

In applying to colleges, I never had to look into how accessible campuses were, or how accommodating administrations would be,

but this experience has opened my eyes to the numerous ways NU and the student population, myself included, have failed to serve disabled students. In recent years, while 80 percent of high school students with disabilities list post-secondary education as a goal, only 60 percent actually enroll.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, 11.1 percent of all college students had a disability as of 2012. During his term, former president Barack Obama took steps to help disabled people have their student loan debts forgiven. With changes like these, I assume some portion of new students will be looking for important factors related to accessibility. How will this community welcome and accept new students that it cannot properly provide for? If NU claims to be a diverse campus that represents all identities, it must provide a climate that supports, empathizes with and accommodates for disabled students more than it currently does.

Ruby Phillips is a Weinberg freshman. She can be contacted at rubyphillips2020@u.northwestern.edu.

If you would like to respond publicly to this column, 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 137, Issue 106 Editor in Chief Peter Kotecki

Managing Editors

Mariana Alfaro Matthew Choi Nora Shelly

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily office.

Letters have the following requirements: • Should be typed • Should be double-spaced • Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number.

• Should be fewer than 400 words They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar.

Opinion Editor Yvonne Kim

Assistant Opinion Editor Troy Closson

Letters, columns and cartoons contain the opinion of the authors, not Students Publishing Co. Inc. Submissions signed by more than three people must include at least one and no more than three names designated to represent the group.

Editorials reflect the majority opinion of The Daily’s student editorial board and not the opinions of either Northwestern University or Students Publishing Co. Inc.

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 5

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

Ghanaian tech entrepreneur receives Buffett award

By JULIA ESPARZA

the daily northwestern @JuliaEsparza10

A cartoon of a man who used a rocket strapped to his back to fly inspired Ghanaian technology entrepreneur Regina Honu to make a rocket for herself. When she presented her creation to a teacher, he told her, “Girls don’t build rockets.”

Honu, who is now the founder of a Ghanaian software development company and advocate for girls in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, received the Buffett Institute for Global Studies’ award for emerging global leaders Tuesday in Scott Hall. Buffett Institute director Bruce Carruthers said by presenting recipients with the $10,000 award, the institute hopes to celebrate and encourage the recipients’ initiatives.

“The idea is to recognize someone who is at the early stages of their career and to bolster someone and further their career, to energize it,” Carruthers said.

In addition to founding her company Soronko Solutions, Honu also created the Soronko Foundation, an organization that provides role models, resources and a space primarily for girls in Ghana to facilitate their interests in STEM. Since its creation, Honu said the foundation now has more than 2,000 mentees and more than 200 mentors.

Honu was born in Ghana, where she said she

McCormick Prof. wins mechanical engineering education award

A McCormick professor has been selected as the recipient of the 2017 Ralph Coats Roe Award from the American Society for Engineering Education’s mechanical engineering division, according to a news release sent out Tuesday.

McCormick Prof. Michael Peshkin, the Bette and Neison Harris Professor in Teaching Excellence, received the award for his contributions to

was told at a young age that girls would end up in a kitchen, not working in technology. She said the video game Pacman inspired her to learn how to code. She later went to Ashesi University, one

of the top universities in Ghana, Carruthers said.

While there, Honu said she was one of three girls in a computer science course and the only woman in the IT department at the software

Oreste Visentini/The Daily Northwestern

Ghanaian technology entrepreneur Regina Honu speaks at Scott Hall on Tuesday. Honu spoke about introducing more girls to STEM and using technology to “better” Ghana.

the field and for his “sustained efforts” to give students design, building and debugging experiences, the release said. Peshkin’s research interests include robotics, human-machine interface and surface haptics. According to the release, he was selected by the ASEE for his work with Northwestern students in the field of practical electronics for mechanical engineers.

Since joining NU in 1987, Peshkin has used innovative teaching methods like introducing the “lab in a backpack,” a kit for students that, with a laptop, forms an electronics workbench, complete with tools like an oscilloscope, power supply and function generator, the release said. By using the

“Peshkin Box,” students are able to work outside the classroom, completing projects at coffee shops or in their own homes.

Peshkin, who also holds the Charles Deering McCormick Professorship of Teaching Excellence, has helped “revitalize engineering courses” by removing instructions that read like cookbook recipes, instead pushing students to think and work creatively like engineers, the release said.

Lightboard, a glass chalkboard embedded with LED lights that was developed by Peshkin, enables professors and other faculty to write equations and create video lectures while still facing the camera. According to the news release, more than 50

company where she began her career.

Honu said she was motivated to start the foundation both by her desire to bring more girls into STEM and her passion to “better Ghana.” She said she had seen how her country relied on other nations for aid and assistance and she believed it was time Ghana solve its own problems.

According to the Buffett Institute’s website, undergraduate affiliates of the institute nominate individuals for the award who they feel have made a large impact in fields of global significance. SESP senior Diane Arthur nominated Honu and said she was first introduced to Honu’s work while studying abroad in Ghana.

“She is rewriting the narrative around technology and women empowerment in a society that is both developing and largely patriarchal,” Arthur said.

Arthur told The Daily that Honu’s story was very relatable because the entrepreneur put her “if I could do anything in the world” dreams into action.

Buffet Institute program manager for undergraduate initiatives Emory Erker-Lynch told The Daily she’s not surprised Honu was chosen for the award.

“I recognize she is someone who is not only inspiring this generation of young people in Ghana, but she also has a lot Northwestern undergraduates could learn from her,” ErkerLynch told The Daily. juliainesesparza2020@u.northwestern.edu institutions have built their own version of Peshkin’s Lightboard with its open-source instructions.

“I deeply appreciate the encouragement, resources, and free rein that my department chair and colleagues have given me, over many years, to develop atypical courses,” Peshkin said in the release. “I hope this award will provide my courses and curricula with additional visibility at other engineering schools, as I would love to see more handson teaching and learning in college classrooms.”

Peshkin will accept the award at ASEE’s annual conference in June in Columbus, Ohio.

— Jake Holland

615 Dempster St, Evanston, IL 60201 (847) 864-8700

WANTED

Syllabus Yearbook 2018 Editor in Chief & Staff Students Publishing Company of Northwestern University is seeking a current undergraduate student to manage the creation of the 2018 Northwestern Yearbook. The editor in chief will be responsible for the visual and verbal content of the yearbook and will work with a student staff of writers, designers and photographers. This paid position begins in Spring Quarter 2017, with the largest time commitment in Fall Quarter 2018 through Winter Quarter 2018.

The best candidate should display:

F R E S H & LOC A L W W W. B A G E L A R T E VA N S TO N .CO M

Monday – Saturday 6:00 am – 3:00 pm Sunday 7:30 am – 2:30 pm

N U W I L D C A R D A D V A N TA G E 1 0 % D I S C O U N T C AT E R I N G & D E L I V E R Y P R E F E R R E D V E N D O R (Seed Cafe, LLC. vendor #0000135722)

Work for The Daily Northwestern

• Strong writing and editing skills (journalism experience a plus)

Get real-life journalism experience. In class, you'll learn how to write an event story or

• Creativity and graphic design skills

produce a video. At The Daily, you'll interview people about actual news and get practice

• A keen interest in activities and life at Northwestern

writing for your peers and neighbors. You'll chase stories against the pros and build your

Interested in leaving your mark on NU?

skills under deadline. And you'll have fun along the way.

Request an application NOW by contacting syllabus@northwestern.edu or call 847-491-7206

For details email joinus@dailynorthwestern.com or visit:

dailynorthwestern.com/joinus

6 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN

BALL

From page 1 Weinberg senior Cheron Mims, FMO coordinator, said she was happy to see students’ positive reactions to both artists.

She said A&O and FMO both expect this year’s attendance to be similar to last year’s, when the two groups collaborated to bring electronic dance musician Baauer and rap duo Rae Sremmurd to Ball.

Mims said she’s excited the groups were able to get Jeremih to headline the concert.

“I’m looking forward to his mixture of slow hits but also throwbacks,” Mims said. “He has

ETHICS

From page 1 official email.

In January, the city switched its email accounts from Microsoft Outlook to Gmail, Holmes said. She said she had been accustomed to Outlook and was confused by the new system. Holmes said she went to the city’s IT department for help to compile a contact list and send the email.

Holmes said she did not realize the endorsement had been sent out to “everyone (she’d) ever sent an email to” — an email list that encompasses roughly 2,600 people — until Ald. Ann Rainey (8th), who had also received the email, alerted her of the fact.

“She was sending things to people on my (email) list,” Rainey, who was in the audience, said. “The city screwed this up so badly, every

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

HAGERTY

a few hype songs and I think it’s going to be a good balance between the first act. Aminé is really, super hype and Jeremih is super, kind of, low.”

Friday’s event is the second-to-last concert A&O will hold this academic year, Lefkowitz said. The group will also host Philfest later this quarter.

“This is the last major music concert,” she said. “We’re hoping that people get excited about it.”

From page 1

Bobkiewicz said Hagerty would have to make his own decision about which of his other activities may constitute a conflict. Though the city does have an ethics ordinance that prohibits “public officers” from rendering services that “would to a reasonable person” appear to create a conflict, Bobkiewicz said the rules are written with latitude for individuals to make their own determination.

At a meeting Monday night, Ald. Judy Fiske (1st) and Ald. Brian Miller (9th) both warned against a possible conflict of interest for the mayor-elect. Because the city engages in business deals with First Bank & Trust, Miller said, Hagerty could come into conflict with his board position.

“This isn’t something we should take lightly because there’s a variety of instances when the City of Evanston does business with First Bank & Trust,” Miller said on Monday. “This is a serious issue that we really need to be aware of in the next coming years.”

Earlier this week, Illinois candidates released new reports that included finance information through this month’s municipal elections. According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, Hagerty raised more than $210,000 — more than 50 percent of which he loaned himself — and spent roughly $190,000.

Allyson Chiu contributed reporting. alfaro@u.northwestern.edu alderman in town was having problems.”

The board ended up deciding that endorsing candidates though a city email constituted an ethics violation. Bierman said the complaint about Holmes will be covered in an advisory opinion to City Council and addressed in upcoming staff training.

Cases heard at Tuesday’s meeting were originally slated to be addressed at a meeting on March 21, before election day. However, the board failed to reach a quorum at the last scheduled meeting. On April 10, members of City Council confirmed the appointment of two new members to the board and reappointed another, filling outstanding open seats.

The board’s next meeting is scheduled for May 2.

SCHAPIRO From page 1

kristinakarisch2020@u.northwestern.edu

action taken against SAE or the other fraternity. Chinniah said Tuesday there was difficulty finding survivors who would come forward and participate in the investigation.

Schapiro said a variety of people reacted angrily to the investigation and its outcome –– including members of SAE and their parents as well as supporters of survivors, among others. However, Schapiro said the University did everything it could to follow proper procedures and be as fair as possible.

“I can’t tell you how seriously we take it,” he said. “People who are critical of me or somebody else around here on the stage or elsewhere, I mean they should realize that it’s not because we don’t care about keeping this place safe and trying to do the right thing.”

In addition to addressing student safety, administrators spoke about national issues, specifically the University’s response to President Donald Trump’s executive orders on immigration, which temporarily bar citizens of Iran, Sudan, Syria, Libya, Yemen and Somalia from entering the U.S. Harris said many students and scholars will potentially be impacted by the two executive orders, though they will affect the entire community because NU is a “global university.” He

Colin Boyle/Daily Senior Staffer

Ald. Delores Holmes (5th) speaks at a Board of Ethics meeting on Tuesday. Holmes has been accused of ethics violations regarding her use of a city email account to send out a candidate endorsement.

Hagerty defended his sizeable spending as an “investment in Evanston” and stressed that no single strategy could explain his victory.

Instead, he highlighted a “litany” of factors that could have contributed to his success: canvassing door to door, meet and greets at train stations and robust social media.

“Some people will spin a story that I won because of the money that was put into this campaign,” Hagerty said. “(But) money alone does not buy you an election. The voters in Evanston are pretty discerning people and I don’t think they can be bought off by any amount of money.”

Ald. Mark Tendam (6th), who lost the election by 115 votes, raised more than $63,000 — of which more than 40 percent he loaned himself — and spent roughly $54,000. Earlier this month, Tendam told The Daily he was disappointed by the election results and attributed his slim loss in part to less funding.

“With a fraction of what (Hagerty) spent we were able to be competitive and come up almost neck and neck,” Tendam told The Daily earlier this month. “Evanston listened to someone with more experience and more or less half of the voters weren’t swayed by the amount of money.”

The new mayor and city officials will assume their positions May 8. davidpkfishman@u.northwestern.edu said the University would do whatever it takes to protect its students while still complying with federal law.

”

I can’t tell you how seriously we take it ...

It’s not because we don’t care about keeping this place safe.

Morton Schapiro, University President

“There are a lot of smart people in this world who aren’t born in the United States, and we’ll recruit those people aggressively,” he said.

Erin Libby, manager of the Qatar Support Office and member of NUSAC, said events like these are important because of the connection they establish between Schapiro and NU staff members, who are left out of the community dialogue at times.

“I do think it’s important for the faculty and the students but also the staff to feel like they have a voice and let that voice be heard to the highest level,” she said. catherinekim2020@u.northwestern.edu

DAILY CLASSIFIEDS Place a Classified Ad

Daily Policies

CLASSIFIED ADS in The Daily Northwestern are $5 per line/per day (or $4 per line/per day if ad runs unchanged for 5 OR MORE consecutive days). Add $1/day to also run online. For a Classified Ad Form, go to: dailynorthwestern. com/classifieds FAX completed form with payment information to: 847-491-9905. MAIL or deliver to: Students Publishing Company 1999 Campus Dr., Norris-3rd Floor Evanston, IL 60208. Payments in advance are required. Deadline: 10am on the day before ad is to run.

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 9-5; Fri 9-4. Phone: 847-491-7206.

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN is not responsible for more than one incorrect insertion of an ad. Corrections must be received by 10am on the day before ad runs again, call 847-4917206. All Classifieds must be paid in advance and are not accepted over the phone. To run online, ad must run in print on same day. The Daily does not knowingly accept misleading or false ads and does not guarantee any ad or claim, or endorse any advertised product or service. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when sending money.

HELP WANTED ADS are accepted only from advertisers who are equal opportunity employers. The presumption, therefore, is that all positions offered here are available to qualified persons without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, handicap, or veteran status.

It is the policy of The Daily Northwestern to accept housing advertising only from those whose housing is available without discrimination with respect to sexual orientation, race, creed or national origin. The presumption is therefore, that any housing listing appearing here is non-discriminatory.

Help Wanted

For Rent

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

Post a Classified!

Now anyone can post and manage a classified ad.

Go to: DailyNorthwestern. com/classifieds Questions?

Call 847-491-7206

DAILY SUDOKU Complete the grid so each ROW, COLUMN and 3-by-3 BOX (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9.

For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk SOLUTION TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE

Join the yearbook team!

We create the printed volume that chronicles a year at Northwestern. No yearbook experience necessary. Interested?

Email: syllabus@northwestern.edu

FOR RENT Prime location. (right here)

Will build to suit. (free ad design)

Great price!

(Fridays are free*) D a i ly Puzzle SPot

04/19/17

Level: 1 2 3 4

© 2017 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

DAILY CROSSWORD

Inquire within. 847-491-7206 or spc-compshop@northwestern.edu (*Pay for 4 days. 5th day is free!)

THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 7

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 2017

BASEBALL

Cats start strong, hold on for victory

By TALIA HENDEL

the daily northwestern @taliahendel

Northwestern pounced at the opportunity to begin a new winning streak with a non-conference game prior to returning to Big Ten play.

The Wildcats (14-22, 3-6 Big Ten) attacked the plate in the early innings against Milwaukee (12-21) at Miller Park on Tuesday, jumping out to a 5-0 lead in the first 4 innings and never relenting in the eventual 6-4 victory.

“

You have to stay focused for them even though it’s not Big Ten play, we have to come out here and do your job.

as Davis, who fired 5 scoreless innings, pitched with a lead throughout his start.

Coach Spencer Allen said he believed the hot start on both ends gave the offense and defense mutual confidence.

“It’s just easier to play this game when you have a little bit of a lead, and getting those early runs I think helped Josh as well,” Allen said.

“But he set the tone, there’s no doubt about it.”

The bullpen also was generally strong, aside from a rough ninth inning from freshman Nick Cauley, who allowed 3 runs in six at-bats while recording just two outs.

Though this win does not count for NU’s Big Ten record, it marks a positive step toward gaining momentum ahead of this weekend’s series against Penn State.

“We just wanted to stay competitive,” Kaplan said. “Midweek games you have to stay focused

for them even though it’s not Big Ten play, we have to come out here and do your job.”

The freshman added that the team’s focus is on putting together one at-bat and one pitch at a time, rather than getting caught up in the larger scope of each game.

Regardless of their attempts to ignore the implications for the season as a whole and take things one step at a time, Allen said everyone is well aware of the importance of the upcoming series against the Nittany Lions.

“It is a big series and I don’t think I’m going to have to say anything. I don’t think any of the coaches are really going to have to say anything,” Allen said. “These guys understand that with five series left, we have to make some hay and we have to do it soon.” taliahendel2020@u.northwestern.edu

Leo Kaplan, Outfielder

“We’re looking for pitches early in the count that we can drive and this team was throwing a lot of strikes early in counts,” freshman outfielder Leo Kaplan said. “We knew that and we were going out there and just trying to put good swings on the ball.”

Kaplan, who has been a key contributor to NU’s offense this season, launched a solo home run in the fourth inning and scored a second run, making him responsible for one-third of NU’s scoring.

However, the Cats’ aggressive offensive approach could have backfired if not for the impressive pitching performance by Josh Davis.

The senior said he was focused on not giving up any free bases, but that NU’s success was largely due to his teammates.

“It’s great because when you have a great defense playing behind you, you know that all you have to do is pound the zone and let those guys work behind you,” Davis said.

The right-hander gave the Cats a significant amount of breathing room in the early innings,

Daily file photo by Katie Pach

Joe Hoscheit makes contact with the ball. The senior outfielder and the Wildcats picked up a midweek win against Milwaukee on Tuesday.

LONG

From page 8 as a linebacker to date.

“I’m not quite happy with where I’m at, but I guess I made reasonable progress,” Long said. “My standards are really high and I’m not there yet, nowhere close.”

But Fitzgerald, for one, has a different opinion.

“He’s learning every day, he’s embraced the role … he’s got some instincts and can fly around,” the coach said. “I’m very, very excited about his progression.” benjaminpope2019@u.northwestern.edu

LINE

From page 8 Those players will be supplemented by a group of younger players who made a push for playing time in the spring practices. Cushing said freshman Gunnar Vogel and rising sophomore Andrew Otterman are in a “wide-open” competition for the starting right tackle job, and he mentioned being impressed by rising sophomore Jared Thomas in the spring as a reserve on the interior.

For a unit that “didn’t have enough guys ready to go” last season, Cushing said, some semblance of depth is a welcome change.

Doles said bringing the new faces up to speed was a focus of the spring practice period.

“A big part of it was helping the younger guys who haven’t had playing experience understand the tempo of Big Ten football, the mindset, the attitude that it’s going to take,” Doles said. “We’ve seen some significant progress.”

Still, much of the group that frequently limited the Cats’ offense in 2016 is back, looking for redemption. And after a season full of criticism, their improvement figures to be a key to setting NU’s ceiling in 2017.

“That development between now and the opener with our offensive line is going to be a really strong indicator, I think, of where we’re at and where we can potentially go,” Fitzgerald said. “We’re going to go where that group takes us.” maxschuman2018@u.northwestern.edu

The Daily Northwestern Spring 2017 | An independent voice since 1923 | Evanston, Illinois

EDITOR IN CHIEF | Peter Kotecki PRINT MANAGING EDITORS | Mariana Alfaro, Matthew Choi, Nora Shelly DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR | Max Schuman ___________________

OPINION EDITOR | Yvonne Kim ASSISTANT EDITOR | Troy Closson SPECTRUM EDITORS | Arielle Chase, Rachelle Hampton ____________________

WEB EDITORS | Maddie Burakoff, Aidan Markey ASSISTANT EDITORS | Victoria Cabales, Rachel Davison ___________________

PHOTO EDITORS | Colin Boyle, Jeffrey Wang ASSISTANT EDITORS | Allie Goulding, Katie Pach ____________________

CAMPUS EDITOR | Allyson Chiu ASSISTANT EDITORS | Catherine Kim, Erica Snow ___________________ CITY EDITOR | David Fishman ASSISTANT EDITORS | Kristina Karisch, Syd Stone, Ryan Wangman ___________________ SPORTS EDITOR | Cole Paxton ASSISTANT EDITORS | Ben Pope, Dan Waldman

A&E EDITOR | Emily Chin ASSISTANT EDITOR | Madeleine Fernando ____________________ CREATIVE DIRECTOR | Jerry Lee DESIGN EDITORS | Andrew Jiang, Colin Lynch ASSISTANT EDITOR | Ruiqi Chen __________________ PRINT DEVELOPMENT EDITOR | Jonah Dylan DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT EDITOR | Sophie Mann

VIDEO EDITOR | Juliette Johnson AUDIO EDITORS | Sam Bernitz, Molly Glick __________________ COPY CHIEFS | Jake Holland, Sabrina Matsuda SLOT EDITOR | Ally Mauch ___________________ GENERAL MANAGER | Stacia Campbell SHOP MANAGER | Chris Widman ___________________ BUSINESS OFFICE STAFF Arielle Chase, Ryan Daggs, Kyle Dubuque, Zeina Elhanbaly, Esther Han, Catherine Kang, Jason Kerr, Liberty Vincent, Mychala Schulz, Dominic Zona ___________________ ADVERTISING PRODUCTION STAFF Brandon Chen, Syd Shaw

SPORTS

ON DECK APR.

21

Men’s Tennis No. 2 Ohio State at No. 21 NU, 6 p.m. Friday

ON THE RECORD

He definitely has stepped into a big leadership role. He’s played a lot of minutes and caught a lot of passes, and he’s — Clayton Thorson on Macan Wilson doing really well.

@DailyNU_Sports

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

MACAN MOVES

Wilson takes big step forward as NU seeks receiving leaders

By BEN POPE

daily senior staffer @benpope111

Watching class after class of players mature during their four years at Northwestern, coach Pat Fitzgerald said, is one of the most rewarding parts of the coaching job.

But rising senior receiver Macan Wilson, who is approaching his fifth season under Fitzgerald’s tutelage since redshirting in 2013, hasn’t just matured — he’s transformed.

“You go from a guy that was kind of finding his way to a guy that now … is poised, he’s got confidence, he’s got a great work ethic,” Fitzgerald said of Wilson. “You grow up (in) this whole process of college, and for Macan, that’s what I’ve seen. It’s been fun to watch and (I’m) really, really proud of him.”

Th e departures of record-setter Austin Carr and fifth-year veteran Andrew Scanlan have forced Wilson and the rest of the Wildcats’ diverse but star-lacking receiving group to redefine itself this offseason.

When Wilson looked around the room at the start of spring practices and realized he and Solomon Vault were the only rising receiver seniors in the room, he actively decided to take yet another step forward in his maturation into a leader.

“I’ve been trying to be more vocal,” Wilson said. “In the past, and in high

school … I’ve been more of a lead-byexample guy myself. But now as the oldest guy in the room, I’m trying to be more vocal, trying to be more of an outspoken leader.”

Carr — the Big Ten receiver of the year — and Scanlan together accounted for 58 percent of the receptions, 61 percent of the yards and 12 of the 17 touchdowns generated by the receiving unit last season. Their collective absence has left a massive hole in the offense, which has just begun to explore how its 2017 depth chart will crystallize.

“Are (their) roles clearly defined?

Absolutely not,” Fitzgerald said.

The one returning starter is rising junior Flynn Nagel, who was second on the team with 447 yards last season but is now preparing to step into the slot receiver role previously held

by Carr, who had nearly triple that amount. Nagel is also likely to remain the primary punt returner, Fitzgerald said.

“Punt return is something I’ve done my whole life, so it’s kind of natural for me,” Nagel said. “Stepping up into a bigger receiver role — that’s one I’m more worried about, more focusing on.”

The biggest adjustment hasn’t been handling a larger burden in the passing game, Nagel said, but learning the other nuances of the slot position. He said he spent the spring learning how to block linebackers and blitz safeties, which is different than blocking

cornerbacks on the outside.

The wide receiver slots, meanwhile, remain fairly wide open. Vault, who caught 15 balls last season after moving over from running back, will likely see significant playing time outside, while the likes of rising sophomores Ben Skowronek and Charlie Fessler — who each saw the field only sparingly last fall — will compete for starting roles, too.

But the strength of the Cats’ receiving corps is quickly becoming the slot.

There, Fitzgerald is hoping Nagel’s expected stardom will be complemented by Wilson, who regularly watches film with his neighbor, to-be junior quarterback Clayton Thorson.

“He definitely has stepped into a big leadership role,” Thorson said of Wilson. “He’s played a lot of minutes (this spring) and caught a lot of passes, and he’s doing really well.”

This latest step in Wilson’s growth could potentially give the Cats a second go-to receiver next fall, preventing defenses from keying in too closely on Nagel and helping to diversify a passing attack that, while productive last year, was rather one-dimensional.

“It’s a different group of leaders in the room now, but we also have a lot more guys with some playing experience than last year,” Wilson said.

“We’ve got a group that’s going to give Clayton a lot more options in the past.”

Allie Goulding/The Daily Northwestern

benjaminpope2019@u.northwestern.edu

Long settles in after Offensive line seeks improvement switch to linebacker

By MAX SCHUMAN

By BEN POPE

daily senior staffer @benpope111

In his free time, Warren Long produces music. In his playing time, the rising fifth-year senior — formerly a running back — plays linebacker.

Somehow, he’s managed to take the skills he’s learned from producing and apply them to football.

“Classical music, it’s all about technique: you go here, you go there. I would say that’s offense,” Long said of his transition from running back to linebacker.

“Defense is like jazz. They’re going to put you in a position, but it’s up to your interpretation.”

Long certainly received plenty of time in spring practice to find his rhythm. With Anthony Walker declaring a year early for the NFL draft and returning starter Nate Hall out temporarily with a minor arm injury, Long proved a muchneeded addition for a Northwestern linebacking group struggling with numbers.

In front of a small crowd at Ryan Field for the final spring practice earlier this month, Long played alongside rising senior Brett Walsh — the only linebacker other than Hall already penned into a starting spot — rising sophomore Nathan Fox and redshirt freshmen Paddy Fisher and Jango Glackin.

Those were the only five healthy linebackers the Wildcats had.

“Adding Warren now gives us an experienced six guys,” coach Pat Fitzgerald said. “I don’t think I had six healthy the whole year last year, so we’ve got better depth right now than we did a year ago, even though we don’t have enough bodies.”

Three incoming freshman

linebackers who aren’t on campus yet will be available in the fall, and Fitzgerald said he’s expecting to add a few walk-ons, too.

Long nonetheless figures to have a reasonable shot at seeing the field a significant amount come the Sept.

2 season opener against Nevada — a reality that speaks to both NU’s inconvenient depth chart situation at the position and Long’s hard work.

“He’s by far farther ahead than I would’ve expected,” said linebackers coach Randy Bates. “After 15 practices, I think he understands it well. He’s got great speed and agility, and he’ll knock the crap out of you. It’s just a matter of him getting a lot of reps.”

While learning the ins and outs of linebacking, Long has also shared wisdom about the perspective of the running backs that his new position group teammates are trying to tackle. The knowledge Long has brought to the group from his unusual background has made him an important resource in the film room, Hall said.

“When we’re watching film and we’re trying to read tendencies of running backs and what they’re taught during certain plays, I’ll look back and ask him or Coach Bates will ask him, ‘When you were a running back, were you taught to do this, this and that?’” Hall said.

“And he gives good insight on that, so I think he’s definitely an asset in the room.”

Perhaps because of the limited reins under which he is operating, Long, whose idea of the position change was initially shot down by Fitzgerald last fall before being made official in February, said he is unsatisfied with his performance » See LONG, page 7

daily senior staffer @maxschuman28

Th roughout last season, Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald was never shy about criticizing his offensive line when it was deserved.

“Our O-Line got outplayed,” Fitzgerald said after a humbling September loss to FCS foe Illinois State.

“There’s no way I could have predicted that our off ensive line would be as inefficient as they were today.”

The Wildcats’ offense was unpredictable all season. Led by blossoming quarterback Clayton Thorson, AllBig Ten runner Justin Jackson and receiver and Biletnikoff Award finalist Austin Carr, NU had the firepower to put big numbers on the scoreboard.

It often didn’t, though, putting the players up front in the crosshairs. “(Fitzgerald) didn’t even have to criticize us,” rising junior tackle Blake Hance said. “We knew most of the time when we were doing things wrong.”

With Thorson and Jackson returning, the Cats again have the raw materials for a consistently productive offense — and again have questions to answer along the offensive line.

“It’s no secret who we have at the skill positions,” offensive line coach Adam Cushing said. “It’s going to be pretty cool. But we’ve got to win our one-on-one battles, period.”

Rising junior Tommy Doles looks to be the leader of the unit heading into next season. The charismatic lineman saw his first major action as an every-game starter last year, mostly

at right guard, and earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention nod for his efforts.

After that breakout season, Doles has stepped into a bigger leadership role among his linemates in the spring, his position coach said.

“Our conversation this off season has been that he’s got to be more … not a soldier, more of an officer,” Cushing said. “We need him to step up and be a voice for the group.”

Around Doles, NU brings several other familiar names into next season.

Hance will likely hold down the left tackle spot he filled in 2016, while rising junior J.B. Butler and rising senior Brad North should see the field after ending the season as starters at left guard and center, respectively. » See LINE, page 7

Daily file photo by Daniel Tian

Blake Hance (left) blocks for Justin Jackson. The rising junior is among the leaders on the Wildcats’ offensive line.