The Daily Northwestern Tuesday, April 25, 2017
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Students react to SAE suspension Campus leaders report ‘bittersweet’ response to decision By ERICA SNOW
daily senior staffer @ericasnoww
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Former President Barack Obama speaks on a panel at the University of Chicago on Monday. The event marked an end to Obama’s self-imposed silence following Inauguration Day earlier this year.
Obama avoids discussing Trump Former president addresses over 500 students during Chicago visit By DAVID FISHMAN
daily senior staffer @davidpkfishman
CHICAGO — Former President Barack Obama cautiously avoided discussing his successor as he returned to the spotlight
Monday, in his first public event since leaving the White House earlier this year. Though young leaders in attendance itched for their progressive icon to assail President Donald Trump’s agenda, Obama only broached the topic once: “So … uh, what’s been going on while
I’ve been gone?” Instead of discussing Trump, the 44th president used a roughly 80-minute discussion in front of a student-dominated crowd at the University of Chicago to stress the importance of civic engagement and set the tone for his post-presidential career.
“The single most important thing I can do is to help … prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world,” he said. Monday’s forum, which » See OBAMA, page 6
SESP sophomore Cate Ettinger said she felt bittersweet when the University announced the suspension of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity Friday. Ettinger said even though the chapter’s suspension was ultimately a success for student activists, she was disappointed an alcohol violation brought the disciplinary action instead of a charge of drugging and sexual assault. The University announced Friday the suspension, which runs until September 2018 for violating an already standing probation by serving alcohol to minors. The probation, which was set to be in place until the end of 2017, followed a conduct investigation in Fall 2016, University spokesman Bob Rowley said. The University decided to suspend the chapter following a hearing April 7, he said. The chapter “knowingly violated” its disciplinary probation, Rowley said, and had been “repeatedly hosting parties and providing alcohol to minors.” The suspension is not in
connection with the Title IX investigation, which was conducted earlier this year. In February, the University announced in an email to students that the Sexual Harassment Prevention Office had received an anonymous report that four female students had been possibly given a date rape drug at the SAE house on Jan. 21. The report said two of the students believed they were sexually assaulted. The fraternity’s national organization issued a “cease-and-desist” order to the fraternity in February shortly following the allegations were announced. The University announced in an email to students March 30 that no disciplinary action would be taken against SAE in connection with the drugging and sexual assault violations. “As happy as I am that they are being suspended, it still felt like a slap in the face to women that the reason for the suspension was over alcohol-related policy rather than sexual assault,” Ettinger said. “I’m just looking on the positive side that something’s happened, but it is a little frustrating.” SESP junior Rodney Orr, president of the Interfraternity Council, said following the student Code of Conduct is important for a safe campus. Orr said IFC needs to recognize » See SAE, page 6
Emerson project Actress talks school-to-prison pipeline remains pending By ALAN PEREZ
Building set to be considered at next Council meeting By SYD STONE
the daily northwestern @sydstone16
Evanston residents and officials discussed the proposed planned development project at 831 Emerson during Monday’s City Council meeting. The developers of the project, Focus Development, Inc. and CA-Ventures, proposed last week a 9-story mixed-use building with 242 units and a 3,300-square foot commercial space on the ground floor. The plan also includes 174 parking spaces on site including one level of underground parking, according to council documents. The new building would replace the existing two-story commercial building that houses a 7-Eleven convenience store. However, the existing 7-Eleven is expected to occupy the new commercial space on site. The proposed ordinance — not yet voted on by City Council — would have granted a special use approval for the project, which was first introduced more than a year
ago as a part of a plan to expand the downtown area. The downtown area currently extends from Ridge Avenue east to Hinman Avenue, and from Lake Street north to Emerson Street. An earlier version of the project proposed a 14-story high-rise primarily targeted at Northwestern students. After significant pushback from Evanston residents, the project was revised. Members of the community voiced their concern at numerous City Council meetings about the building’s height and its lack of contribution to affordable housing. Ald. Judy Fiske (1st) echoed this concern at a council meeting last week, saying that she would rather preserve smaller communities than expand the downtown area. The 1st Ward encompasses an area included in the proposed expansion. Susan Wolin — a resident at the Sherman Garden co-operative apartments near the proposed site on Emerson — said she takes issue with the notion of a “student focused development” because of its potential for noise disturbances and “problems with student behavior.” Despite revisions to the project » See 831, page 2
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Anna Deavere Smith, known for her role as Dr. Nancy McNally, on NBC’s political drama, “The West Wing,” speaks on campus Monday. Smith reenacted interviews conducted with people she thought were affected by the “school-to-prison pipeline.”
As actress Anna Deavere Smith interviewed a series of people for a research project regarding the systematic oppression of minorities within the education and criminal justice system, she was inspired to tell their stories in the format of a play. “I do believe that people are talking a very beautiful language, which can be reiterated and grab hearts and minds,” said Smith, who is known for her role as Dr. Nancy McNally on NBC’s political drama, “The West Wing.” Smith sampled pieces of her play “Notes From the Field” in front of more than 150 people at the Galvin Recital Hall in the
Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts on Monday evening. The play, which tells the stories of people affected by the “school-to-prison pipeline” through various interviews, is the centerpiece of The Pipeline Project, an organization that encourages discussions beyond theater through public events. The “school-to-prison pipeline” is a phenomenon that explains the lack of opportunity and resources available to people from lowincome backgrounds and its correlation to the increasing number of juveniles in the criminal justice system, Smith said. Smith said she began conducting the interviews in 2013 with students, educators, parents, incarcerated youth, correctional officers » See SMITH, page 6
Board discusses transgender policy By RYAN WANGMAN
the daily northwestern @ryanwangman
The Evanston Township High School/District 202 board will vote next week on a policy that would allow transgender students to use the locker room of their
choice. The policy, which will be voted on after being discussed in two separate board readings, was crafted after the Board Policy Committee decided it needed language to better support its gender discrimination policy. Board president Pat SavageWilliams said she is confident
in the staff ’s ability to keep their commitment to equity on the “front burner.” “We have made it clear in presenting this policy that we care about the students and we want students to feel safe and to be included,” Savage-Williams said. “That’s certainly our intent.” The district currently has a
policy to prevent gender discrimination and a set of procedures used to carry out that policy. Transgender students at ETHS may use the bathroom of their choice, but must request access to a separate locker room. The implementation of the » See D202, page 6
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