The Daily Northwestern — September 22, 2022

BACK TO SCHOOL BACK TO SCHOOL

Reid proposes amendment to public nudity law

By ELLA JEFFRIES the daily northwestern @ellajeffriess

Ald. Devon Reid (8th) has introduced a pro posal to the Human Services Committee to amend Evanston’s public nudity ordinance. The current ordinance prohibits showing “female breast with less than a fully opaque covering… below the top of the nipple” — which, Reid told The Daily, sustains “antiquated patriarchal belief systems.”

Reid is arguing that the city should write a new ordinance without gendered language that mirrors the state statute. The Illinois law currently identifies public indecency without reference to gender, as “a lewd exposure of the body done with the intent to arouse or to satisfy the sexual desire of the person.”

The current ordinance sexualizes people who have breasts whether or not they identify as female, Reid said. It also does not acknowl edge the existence of people who do not iden tify within the gender binary.

The proposal will go to the Human Services Committee for review September 6 and Evan ston residents can expect a yes or no vote from the council by November or December, Reid said.

“I would hate for the next generation to point back to Evanston’s ordinances to prove that we have not recognized the non-binary nature of gender and regulate women’s bodies in a way we don’t with men’s bodies,” Reid said. “Evanston is a progressive city and getting rid of this language keeps our community values.”

Krissie Harris was sworn into Evanston’s 2nd Ward City Council seat on September 12.

Reid said many of Evanston’s Northshore neighbors, such as Glencoe, Kenilworth, Skokie, Wilmette and Winnetka do not have public nudity ordinances that mention gender. Instead, they enforce laws similar to state laws that are based on the lewdness of the exposure.

Harris filled the seat of former Ald. Peter Braith waite, who retired in July.

Harris, current manager of student life at Oakton Community College and former board member at YWCA Evanston/Northshore, told Evanston residents in a candidate forum the week before her confirmation that she will focus on connecting resi dents with 911 alternatives and other resources to

Similarly, Evanston Township High School has recognized non-binary students by degen dering the dress code to not have separate sets of requirements for male and female students.

In a meeting Thursday night, the city’s Equity and Empowerment Commission voted

prevent crime during her tenure.

Her application to fill the 2nd Ward vacancy also emphasized community safety, trauma-informed care and fiscal responsibility, the city said in a Friday news release.

In his announcement announcing her candi dacy, Biss said Harris “has deep roots in our com munity and brings an action-oriented, collaborative

to support Reid. Co-chair Karla Thomas said Evanston needs to revise any policies that dis proportionately places any particular group — by race, ability or gender — in a situation where they may have to interact with police.

“There’s a gender equity issue there and there’s also a general issue around policing gender-fluid people,” Thomas said. “When the existing ordinance says that female breasts need to be treated in a certain way, what does that mean for a nonbinary person who might have breasts and how would a police officer go about policing this?”

Still, not all Evanston residents want to see the proposal approved.

At a Sept. 6 Human Services Committee meeting, Evanston resident Robert Bush said the committee should vote the ordinance down and instead discuss issues like panhandling, gun regulation and low youth employment opportunities.

“There are many more serious issues that you all can take up as the Human Services Committee that will, in effect, help the resi dents of this town,” Bush said.

According to Thomas, comments like Bush’s are part of a bigger trend she sees in local news to sensationalize and sexualize this proposal. News outlets like the Chicago Tribune and CBS News Chicago have referenced the proposal as a push for topless beaches.

“Even if somebody shows up on the beach and decides to go topless, that is only newswor thy because we sexualized the female human body,” Thomas said.

ellajeffries2025@u.northwestern.edu

approach to solving problems and making our city stronger” as a fifth generation Evanston resident and a 23-year resident of the 2nd Ward.

Harris will serve on City Council through spring 2023 and will be required to then run in a special election before serving an additional two-year term.

— Avani Kalra

Daily file photo by Jacob Wendler

Ald. Devon Reid (8th) proposes a change to Evanston’s public nudity ordinance at a City Council meeting.

Krissie Harris sworn in as Evanston’s next 2nd Ward alderperson

Students swarm fall Organization Fair

By ERICA SCHMITT daily senior staffer

@eschmitt318

About 3,200 curious students filled the hall ways of Norris University Center for each day of the Fall Organization Fair on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The event was hosted by Student Organiza tions and Activities. SOA Associate Director

Joe Lattal said the office made some changes to the format from last year’s setup, which was held outdoors on the Norris East Lawn for just one day. This year, more than 300 organizations lined tables throughout the rooms of Norris’s second floor, as well as the East Lawn.

Lattal also divided the clubs to appear across a two-day period due to the volume of organizations.

“It just isn’t possible, with the space that we have, to support all the groups for dissipation,” Lattal said.

Another change Lattal’s team made was to promote “barrier-free” organizations, or those with open access for anyone to join.

The fair directory listed unique symbols to indicate where students could find barrier-free organizations. Lattal said it was a step toward increasing accessibility to organizations for all students.

“Giving people leadership opportunities in an org should be based on who shows up and who delivers,” Lattal said. “It shouldn’t be based on who can put together a resume on their first day of classes.”

SOA requires all new clubs to be barrier-free when established, Lattal said. One such new organization is the Vibrant Colors Collective, NU’s multicultural theatre board.

Communication sophomore and VC2 Marketing Director Journey Cole said while the club formed in spring 2022, it focused on increasing membership and community out reach at this quarter’s fair.

“It’s a really important thing to have because there’s been so many starts to multicultural

theatre boards that have faded out of existence due to lack of people,” Cole said.

Having a physical presence at fairs like these will help make sure VC2 doesn’t have the same fate, Cole said.

Weinberg senior and Model U.N. Chief of Staff Spencer Paige said he worried the fair’s two-day split would hinder his organization’s outreach.

“I would really hate for someone who’s inter ested in either Model U.N. or any other org on campus to miss that opportunity because they didn’t check the directory,” Paige said.

Despite those concerns, Paige said atten dance “skyrocketed” compared to last year. He attributed the rise to fewer pandemic-related concerns and more people wanting to get involved socially.

Medill freshman Karrah Toatley said as a new student, it was an overwhelming number of tables, but she enjoyed the visual boards.

“I think it’s better to have it split up in two days because then you get more of an oppor tunity to see all the things that are offered,” Toatley said.

Lattal said SOA hosts an organization fair every quarter so groups can invite new mem bers throughout the year.

He also encouraged group leaders to con tinue promoting their clubs.

“There’s a whole community of students that aren’t looking for anything until winter because they want to get their foot in Evanston first,” Lattal said.

ericaschmitt2025@u.northwestern.edu

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Students walk through the Fall Organization Fair in Norris University Center.

WILDCATS DASHED haner

WHAT TO WATCH: NU SEARCHES FOR STABILITY

By ALEX CERVANTES daily senior staffer @cervantespalex

Northwestern’s final non-conference game against Miami (Ohio) awaits Saturday before the Wildcats (1-2, 1-0 Big Ten) charge full steam ahead into confer ence play. The RedHawks are also 1-2 on the season, with a win against Robert Morris sandwiched between losses to Kentucky and Cincinnati.

In its first game in front of a full student section, NU was left reeling after a shocking loss to Southern Illinois. Here are a few things to look out for as the Cats battle Miami this weekend in desperate need of a rebound victory. Here’s what to watch for on Saturday night:

Northwestern slow starts and Miami quickly scores

The RedHawks will enter Ryan Field boasting the same record as the Cats. While NU has fallen victim to slow starts, Miami is quite the opposite. Dating back to the 2021 campaign, the RedHawks have put points on the board on their opening drive in five consecu tive games.

In a pair of contests against then-No. 20 Kentucky and Cincinnati, Miami controlled the game early. The RedHawks scored a touchdown on their opening drive in Lexington before the Wildcats responded. Kentucky eventually took a 13-10 lead into the intermission, before cruising to a 24-point victory. Against Cincin nati, Miami snagged an early 10-point advantage it held until the 9:54 mark in the second quarter. The Bearcats would go on to win 38-17.

NU can take solace in the fact that both Kentucky and Cincinnati fell behind quickly, but found success in the later stages of the game. Coach Pat Fitzgerald has commented on the problematic trend of the Cats’

early first-half lapses, most recently the 14-3 and 21-0 deficits to Nebraska and Duke.

Despite the second-half collapse, NU did briefly enjoy a first half advantage against Southern Illinois. So what better time than the present to put four full quarters of winning football together with the Big Ten gauntlet looming?

Depleted secondary could spell trouble for the Cats

Notably absent from NU’s clash with the Salukis last weekend was a trio of defensive cogs in senior defensive back A.J. Hampton Jr. and junior defensive backs Cam Mitchell, Coco Azema and Jaheem Joseph.

The Cats’ secondary has been marred by injuries and uneven play to start the 2022 campaign. Fitzgerald char acterized the group’s play Saturday as “inconsistent” but said the more inexperienced defensive backs have an opportunity to learn and grow in the veterans’ absence.

If the aforementioned core trio remain inactive for the weekend’s contest, the improvement will need to come quickly, as NU is currently allowing 285.3 yards through the air per game.

Nevertheless, the Cats’ secondary will be facing a young RedHawks quarterback with first year Aveon Smith. After star signal caller Brett Gabbert was injured in the opener against Kentucky, Smith took his place as the starter. Through three games, Smith is 25-for47 with 284 passing yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.

If NU’s defense can get the young gun rattled early, it could be a much more pleasant outing for the hosts at Ryan Field.

Who wins the quarterback battle?

Junior quarterback Ryan Hilinski’s form has steadily

declined since the win over the Cornhuskers in August.

The Orange, California, native has thrown the ball 103 times in the last two contests, completing 63 of those throws for 648 yards and three passing touch downs. He has also thrown three interceptions and lost a fumble in that span.

Hilinski’s QBR has dipped since the opener, culmi nating in a season-low rating of 17.6 against the Salukis. He’ll be looking to put those struggles behind him against a Miami defense that is conceding 274.3 passing yards per game this season.

The battle between Hilinski and Smith is not the matchup most would have forecasted at the beginning of the season, but it is the reality now. Assuming NU’s secondary is up to the task, Hilinski and his receiving corps should be looking to exploit a RedHawks defense that allowed over 600 yards through the air against Kentucky and Cincinnati.

Familiar foes meet for first time in 13 years

Saturday’s meeting will be the 10th matchup and first meeting between Miami and NU in nearly 13 years. The series between the two schools dates back

to 1955, with the last matchup occurring in October 2009.

The RedHawks hold a 6-3 series lead over the Cats, but Fitzgerald’s side has won the last two matchups. This included the emotional 2006 meeting between the pair, the only time NU has traveled to Oxford, Ohio.

The sudden passing of Coach Randy Walker thrust Fitzgerald into a head coaching position at his alma mater, tasked with leading a program in mourning. Walker, who led the Cats from 1999-2006, got his first head coaching gig at Miami in 1990 and led the Red Hawks for nine seasons before leaving for Evanston after the 1998 campaign. NU went on to win the game 21-3.

“Everything’s special about this game,” Fitzgerald said in a Monday press conference. “Obviously my time with Randy (Walker), that staff, there was a lot of his players and teammates that were with us here.

The list goes on and on of great Miami players that I’ve gotten to know over the years and obviously the rich tradition that program has speaks for itself. There’s a lot of memories that came back when I woke up this morning.”

By SKYE SWANN daily senior staffer @sswann301

The Wildcats’ football and field hockey teams ran their practices in adjacent fields last fall, but the results were polar opposites. While the football squad tum bled to the bottom of the Big Ten West standings, field hockey won the program’s first national championship.

A couple of weeks into the 2022 season of competi tion, the contrast has continued.

Coming off a historic field hockey season that ended with an NCAA Division I Championship title, the Cats are rocking and rolling this fall season. Currently

undefeated and ranked number one in the nation, NU is leaving its mark on the turf and showing the division there is a high chance for a consecutive title run.

Led by coach Tracey Fuchs, the Cats returned star fifth-year forward Bente Baekers, junior midfielder Maddie Zimmer, senior midfielder Alia Marshall and junior goalkeeper Annabel Skubisz.

Fuchs told The Daily on Sept. 11 that being “danger ous” all over the field has contributed to NU’s success this season. From Baekers’ play on offense to Zimmer’s power in the midfield, there are multiple traits that have set the Cats apart.

NU’s field hockey dominance these past two sea sons has inspired its next door neighbors, the football program, according to starting quarterback junior Ryan

Hilinski.

“Obviously, there’s a lot of things you can learn from a team as successful as them,” Hilinski said. “When you look at it, it comes back to having fun with it.”

Hilinski accredited the football team’s enjoyment on the field whether at practice or at games to field hockey, saying those bonding moments creates a stronger team all around. He said practicing across from the team every morning on the lakeside fields has taught him the most important part is simply having fun.

Despite NU football’s rocky start this season, Hil inski said the crew can’t harp on the past. Instead, he said the players have to remember that it’s about having fun and going harder in the next game. With the field hockey team’s success right in their backyard, Hilinski said he is confident the Cats will find their groove.

“Definitely with teams with success like that around, it’s easy to kind of latch on to that and hope to get some success from it as well as some energy from it,” Hilinski said.

NU’s success on the field hockey turf wasn’t always easy, with a nail-biting loss in the 2021 spring NCAA tournament that ended the Cats’ postseason unexpect edly. Fuchs, Zimmer and Skubisz all recounted the feeling of that loss and the ways it pushed the team to go even harder in the 2021 fall season.

The team’s hard work is something football head coach Pat Fitzgerald said has been a real motivation for his team this season. Both Fuchs and Fitz have spent years coaching for the purple and white, making memo ries and consoling each other during tough losses. With

both sports happening in the fall, the squads make an effort to come out and support each other to foster the strong athletic community.

“Coach Fuchs and I are very close, love her dearly,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s so much fun to watch them, to say the least.”

The two coaches’ bond off the field has created a strong connection between both squads, allowing play ers like Hilinski to learn from Zimmer on the practice field. Fitzgerald said the field hockey team’s success in the past year has only pushed him and his players to work “ten times harder.”

As both teams work through their regular seasons, NU football seeks to recover and get back into the win column and push through their miscues on the field. With the close proximity of the field hockey team, both Fitz and Hilinski said they believe the football team is not far from getting the same momentum.

Both teams are back in action this weekend, with field hockey taking on Iowa and football squaring off with Miami (Ohio). Regardless of the results, the bond between the Cats across both programs has left a lasting impact on both programs.

“They’ve earned it, and that’s something we hope to gain with this year’s squad with us,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s amazing how momentum can be such a great thing that builds upon itself.”

Charlotte Varnes

Joanne Haner/Daily Senior Staffer

Joanne Haner/Daily Senior Staffer

STANDINGS

By CHARLOTTE VARNES daily senior staffer @charvarnes11

Coach Pat Fitzgerald stepped to the podium last Saturday tasked with addressing the how’s and why’s of Northwestern’s seemingly improbable one-score loss to Southern Illinois.

He credited the Salukis for their game plan and then spoke of the Wildcats’ failure to win the turnover ba le, their inconsistency, their self-in icted wounds and the impact of injuries on the secondary. Fitzgerald’s comments were similar to the prior Saturday, when NU fell to Duke in what should have been a winnable, non-conference matchup.

Will his post-game remarks this upcoming Saturday run through the Cats’ woes and miscues yet again? Let’s hope not.

Favored by a score against non-conference opponent Miami (Ohio), NU needs a win Saturday. Sure, maybe not for the Big Ten West standings, but the program’s standing and bowl hopes ride on their performance.

NU is less than two years removed from a Big Ten West title and a Citrus Bowl victory over Auburn. Yet, the Cats went 3-9 in 2021 and, if Saturday doesn’t pan out, there is a very real potential they could go 1-11 in 2022.

is is troubling for a program that has experienced inconsistent success in recent years. NU, for the most part, had no trouble recording winning seasons until 2019 came along. Since then, with the exception of 2021, it has been a bumpy road for the Cats. It’s been nearly a decade since NU last recorded two back-to-back losing seasons in 2013 and 2014, and doing so again in 2021 and 2022 would certainly be steps in the wrong direction.

Sure, the 2021 and 2022 teams have been riddled

with injuries. Last season, it was then-sophomore running back Cam Porter and quarterback Andrew Marty. Now, it’s a depleted defense that misses key players like senior defensive back A.J. Hampton, junior safety Coco Azema and junior defensive back Cam Mitchell. ings are certainly challenging right now, and younger players are doing their best to step up to the plate. Fitzgerald and his players alike have spoken about the “next man up mentality” in the secondary. But you can’t blame multiple losing seasons on injuries. And it’s di cult to blame it on a lack of talent. Several of the Cats’ current stars, including junior running back Evan Hull, junior o ensive lineman Peter Skoronski and Porter, played an integral part in the program’s run to the Citrus Bowl in 2020. ree games into 2022, it’s probably too early to assign blame. But if NU fumbles another winnable matchup against the RedHawks on Saturday, anything and everything should be on the table – including changing up starters and ring coaches.

e value of this matchup might seem insigni cant in the grand scheme of things. It’s a non-conference matchup in September with no real Big Ten consequences. Yet, it could provide a preview of what lies ahead in the Big Ten.

It’s hard to picture the Cats, who lost by a score to an FCS team, triumphantly leaving the eld in Happy Valley next weekend to a ranked Penn State team. Taking on Wisconsin for Homecoming and Ohio State for parents weekend seems downright frightening.

Following the loss against the Salukis, Fitzgerald said changes and improvements would happen at practice, though he said the same a er the team fell to the Blue Devils.

is weekend’s matchup could provide proof that these changes worked. Or, it could provide a preview of the tough months to come.

Entering this season, I thought NU could reach a bowl game. I believed hi ing 6-6 would be a bare minimum, even given the 2021 season. A er losing two winnable, non-conference matchups, I’m not so sure the Cats can pull it o . If they fall to Miami, their chances are long gone.

Beyond 2022, the most signi cant consequence of NU’s woes could come with its 2023 recruiting class. Ranked 30th in the country, the class includes two four-stars and will be one of the Cats’ best classes to date – if they all remain commi ed.

Losing to three non-conference opponents as clear favorites, including an FCS team, could be enough to force decommitments, which wouldn’t bode well for the Cats.

charlo evarnes2024@u.northwestern.edu MIAMI

EAST Indiana (1-0, 3-0)

Penn State (1-0, 3-0) Maryland (0-0, 3-0) Michigan (0-0, 3-0)

Ohio State (0-0, 3-0)

Rutgers (0-0, 3-0) Michigan State (0-0, 2-1)

WEST Northwestern (1-0, 1-2) Minnesota (0-0, 3-0) Iowa (0-0, 2-1) Wisconsin (0-0, 2-1) Illinois (0-1, 2-1) Purdue (0-1, 1-2) Nebraska (0-1, 1-3)

Saturday’s matchup against the Red Hawks isn’t just a light-hearted, non-conference game. My eyes will be glued to the eld, well aware that a lot rides on NU winning.

MAKE-OR-BREAK GAME ursday a is the ursday IL

Joanne Haner/Daily Senior Sta er

Joanne Haner/Daily Senior Sta er

OPINION

Letter from the Editors: An intro to the Opinion Desk

KADIN MILLS & COLIN CRAWFORD

Welcome to the opinion section! We have so many goals for this quarter, but at the top of our list is inclusion and support for those who choose to share their voices with us. Over the next few months, we want to build a commu nity of people with diverse opinions.

Writing for opinion can be a mixed bag of confusing emotions: It can be liberating because you are free to express yourself on your own terms, but it also exposes you to an unfor giving public forum, which can sometimes be difficult to navigate. Editorial journalism is a unique facet of a publication because it is so subjective — something that sets it apart from the other sections.

Opinion, the antithesis of objectivity, is diametrically opposed to news journalism. When you write for opinion, you are offering something more than just facts. You have the freedom to provide a new perspective that may challenge or reinforce existing ideas. You can also introduce new ideas and ways to substanti ate them.

At the opinion desk, we are in a unique posi tion to offer diverse viewpoints from anyone who wants to be heard. Editorial journalism occupies a special place in a newspaper where writers can share stories that might not make the news otherwise. Stories can range from commentary on politics and administration to columns on navigat ing love and sex and this silly little place we call Northwestern University.

hypothetical thoughts, administration callouts, etc. We want your scalding, boiling, steaming (and lukewarm) takes.

The community is integral to the success of the opinion section. To truly represent the community and the diverse viewpoints in Evanston and at NU, we must remain engaged with our readers by publishing the stories you deem important.

Editorial journalism is hard. From tireless hours in front of a computer to the stress of a Wednesday night print deadline, contributing to the section can be daunting — especially when you’re writing something that is so much more than just an article.

Twenty-six gay and queer-identifying North western faculty came together to address what they viewed as insufficiencies in the initial statement by NU officials regarding the Monkeypox outbreak. This situation is evolving, and the opinions rep resented in this story reflect the changing circum stances. These faculty represent many disciplines and demonstrate a concern for their students, especially queer and trans students.

Last month, the University shared informa tion with students about the monkeypox virus, MPX. This message was careful not to stigmatize men who have sex with men, but was nonethe less inaccurate and misleading. When the admin istration claims “Monkeypox is not a sexually transmitted infection or disease, nor is it linked to sexual orientation,” it obscures the dominant mode of MPX trans mission and fails to mention the group most at risk for MPX. We believe students need and deserve bet ter information.

First, the evidence is clear that MPX is spreading overwhelm ingly through sex, in as many as 95% of cases. Regardless of whether MPX is technically a sexually transmitted infection, MPX can be described as “sexually transmissible,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Think about it: the virus is primarily transmitted through close skin-to-skin contact, and sex is an activity

As editors and for mer columnists, we know The Daily is not always representative of the NU community and the greater Evan ston communities we serve. Everyone has unique opinions and thoughts. Despite our own opinions and the pitfalls of student journalism, we are here to give you an accessible platform to voice your views. The opinion section is a place for everyone to share their political analyses, personal essays,

Good

- KADIN MILLS & COLIN CRAWFORD

The opinion section is what you make it, and it is our job to facilitate that open dialogue between the paper and the community. Our goal for this fall is to foster a space for diverse and opin ionated people who feel safe sharing the stories they feel are worth sharing. It is our job to make sure writers feel supported in expressing themselves and being vulnerable. The responsibility of fostering such a space is a lofty one, but one we must fully embrace.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

that typically involves considerable skin-to-skin contact.

Second, cases of MPX are overwhelmingly concentrated among men who have sex with men and their sexual networks. Throughout the MPX outbreak, men who have sex with men have consistently accounted for more than 95% of cases. Trans people are also at elevated risk, particularly if they sleep with men who have sex with men, while cases among straight cisgender men, cisgender women and children remain very rare.

As gay male and queer-identified NU faculty members who also study and teach the history and culture of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, other public-health issues related to sex between men, and sexuality studies, we believe it is important for all students — but particularly male students who have sex with men, as well as trans students — to have clear information that will empower them to protect themselves.

Here are some concrete things you can do to reduce your risk of MPX:

for all sexually active men who have sex with men, as well as transgender people. We are pushing the University to offer voluntary MPX vaccines on campus, as it did with COVID-19. Meanwhile, vaccine appointments are available at Howard Brown Health Centers across Chi cago. You can also book vaccine appointments through the city of Chicago.

Opinionists share a piece of themselves. And while it’s not necessarily the norm, hate mail is very real. It can tear down even the strongest of writers. Good journalism doesn’t make every one happy, but this is a risk that comes with vulnerability. We have an obligation to support and empower our writers through it all.

As a desk, it is our responsibility to support and uplift not only our writers but our commu nity members as well. We are obligated to stand up for what is right and what our contributors value.

We cannot wait to hear from you.

Kadin Mills is a Medill junior. He can be contacted at kadinmills2024@u.northwestern.edu. Colin Crawford is a Medill sophomore. He can be con tacted at colincrawford2025@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorth western.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

In the meantime, as is so often in the past, queer community members are banding together to protect and educate one other.

First, seek the information you need. Chica go’s LGBTQ+ health organization, Howard Brown Health Center, has been a local leader in the efforts against MPX. They have posted very clear info on MPX transmission, vaccination, treatment and risk-reduction in English and Spanish. The Gender & Sexual ity Studies program and Sexualities Project at Northwestern are also leading a first-week monkeypox info and impact session on Friday, Sept. 23 at 12:30 p.m. in Kresge 1515, open to all.

Second, get vaccinated for MPX as soon as possible! Vaccination is currently recommended

Third, consider some common sense behavioral changes to lower your risk of MPX. Reduce your number of new or casual sex partners, and don’t be afraid to have frank conversa tions with your part ners about MPX risk. It is probably wise to avoid sex parties and sex clubs for now. Using condoms dur ing sex is also a good idea, if not to prevent MPX transmission, then at least to prevent some of the most painful symptoms.

It is important for all students — but particularly male stu dents who have sex with men, as well as trans students — to have clear information that will empower them to protect them selves.

members shared our concerns about the Uni versity’s MPX communications in a letter to Vice President for Operations Luke Figora and Student Health Services Director of Operations Anita Opdycke. We wish NU administrators had solicited expert faculty and responded less dis missively to earlier pleas for input. We hope the tide is now turning, as a revised, more com plete MPX guidance will be forthcoming soon. In the mean time, as is so often in the past, queer com munity members are banding together to protect and educate one other.

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 by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily

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 300 words

They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar.

Consider these behavioral changes at least until you are fully vaccinated (meaning two weeks after your second dose of the vaccine), and maybe even for some time after. We do not know exactly how effective the vaccine will be under the conditions of the current outbreak.

Finally, monitor yourself for symptoms. Be on the lookout especially for any new rashes or blisters. If you suspect you may have MPX, avoid sex and other forms of skin-to-skin contact with others until you can get tested. For MPX testing and treatment, you can contact Student Health Services as the administration suggests, or you can visit one of the many Chicago locations of the Howard Brown Health Center.

In August, more than 20 gay male faculty

— Chad Horne, Héctor Carrillo, Nick Davis, Ste ven Epstein, Lane Fen rich, Kyle Henry, Jeffrey Masten, Gregory Ward, Marquis Bey, Brian Bouldrey, Corey Byrnes, Ryan Dohoney, Matthieu Dupas, Jillana Enteen, Jesús Escobar, Douglas Foster, Jay Grossman, Leslie Harris, José Medina, Brian Mustanski, Steve Reinke, Melissa Rosenzweig, Sarah Schulman, Steven Thrasher, Mary Weismantel, Michał Wilczewski

If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorth western.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.

Scan these QR codes to make an appointment for a monkey pox vaccine.

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.

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan speaks at NU

By HANNAH FEUER daily senior staffer @hannah_feuer

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan spoke about the legitimacy of the Court, her judicial philosophy and her career trajectory in a Wednesday discus sion at the Pritzker School of Law.

Kagan, who entered and exited the auditorium to standing ovations, spoke with Pritzker Dean Hari Osofsky about the high bar she believes the Court should use when overturning precedent — alluding to, but never directly mentioning, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that eliminated the constitutional right to an abor tion in June.

“If there’s new members of the court, and … all of a sudden very fundamental principles of law are being overthrown … then people have a right to say, ‘What’s going on there?’” Kagan said. “That just seems as though people with one set of policy views are replacing another.”

Kagan spoke as this year’s Howard J. Trienens Visiting Judicial Scholar, a program in which Pritz ker annually invites a leading jurist to lecture at the law school. This year marked Kagan’s second as a Trienens Scholar after she first spoke at Pritzker in 2015.

About 600 people attended the event in per son, with more watching from two overflow rooms where the discussion was livestreamed.

When she discusses the legitimacy of the Court, Kagan said she does not refer to whether the Court’s opinions are popular, but rather whether Americans have an underlying sense that the Court is doing its job.

She said judges on the Court must uphold three main principles in order to maintain legitimacy: abide by precedent except in unusual circum stances, apply judicial methodologies consistently and commit not to involve the Court in matters on which it doesn’t have to rule. Kagan said origi nalism — the idea that judges should look to the original, publicly understood meaning of the Con stitution — doesn’t work in application because the philosophy is inconsistent with the way the Constitution was written.

“(The framers of the Constitution) knew that they were writing for the ages … and so they wrote in broad terms,” Kagan said. “They couldn’t

possibly have thought that 250 years later people would be going, ‘What exactly did they mean when they said equal protection of the law?’”

Carlos Estrada, a third-year law student, said he found Kagan to be charming and funny. Even though she didn’t reference the Dobbs decision directly, he said he found her comments on stare decisis — the doctrine that courts should adhere to precedent — very telling.

“The message is sort of trying to get the Court back to a place where we can trust it, and that it’s going to make decisions based on law and not poli tics,” Estrada said. “It was very illuminating.”

After graduating from Harvard Law School in 1986, Kagan clerked for Judge Abner Mikva of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and then for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. She later worked as a professor at the University of Chicago Law School, served as associate White House counsel for Bill Clinton from 1995 to 1996 and returned to academia in 1999 as a professor

and dean of Harvard Law.

Elaine Cleary, a third-year law student, said Kagan’s visit to Pritzker was meaningful for the school.

“(Kagan’s attendance) means that hopefully, she sees the students here as people who matter to her career, people who she’s interested in influencing,” Cleary said.

Kagan later participated in the dedication of Chicago Avenue and the Pritzker courtyard to for mer Justice John Paul Stevens, Kagan’s predecessor on the Court. Stevens graduated magna cum laude from Pritzker in 1947 and served as co-editor in chief of the Northwestern Law Review.

Justice Stevens, Kagan said, was so “brilliant” and “self-reliant” that he had two law clerks instead of the usual four. At Stevens’ funeral, Kagan said, she even joked to the clerks that Stevens didn’t actually need them.

As dean of Harvard Law School, Kagan said she told groups of admitted students not to attend law

school if they didn’t know why they wanted to go. That was ironic, Kagan said, because she initially went to law school herself because she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do.

“I was there, really truly, for the wrong rea sons,” Kagan said. “(But,) I walked into Har vard Law School and I loved it. I just love think ing about law.”

She said she found law analytically fasci nating and saw it as a way she could make a difference.

Hari ended the discussion by asking Kagan what advice she had for the next generation of lawyers.

“The most important thing you can do in a legal career, for yourself and for the society around you, is to find the thing that gives you a sense of purpose and meaning in your work life,” Kagan said. “Find what it is in law … that every day you wake up and you say, ‘I know why I’m going to work.’”

hannahfeuer2023@u.northwestern.edu

Hannah Feuer/The Daily Northwestern

Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan participated in a discussion with Pritzker Dean Hari Osofsky on Wednesday.

City discusses capital plans

By SHANNON TYLER the daily northwestern

@shannonmtyler

City staff proposed a 2023 Capital Improve ment Plan budget at Monday’s City Council meeting. The plan, designed to address infra structure issues in Evanston, will feature a sig nificant increase from last year’s budget due to city park and facility failures and water intake pipeline replacement.

This year, the project is slated to cost $103 million, a $39 million increase from last year’s budget.

“Staff is struggling to pull together a Capital Improvement Program that is (at) a reason able level,” City Engineer Lara Biggs said. “In previous years, we’ve had one hour discussions about CIP out of the entire budget, and we rec ognize that it is probably time to have a more serious detailed conversation.”

Biggs said the plan’s biggest expense is the city’s water fund. Evanston requires a water intake pipeline replacement, which increases the price to $40 million, though it will be funded mainly through federal loans.

Biggs also said the city should consider fix ing problems with its animal shelter, civic cen ter and ecology center. Those issues will need to be funded by General Obligation bonds, which come from tax revenue. Councilmem bers said they hope to avoid relying on those bonds.

Many city parks also need renovations to update or even remove deteriorating equip ment. Structures in city parks become unsafe after a certain amount of time, and Biggs said leaving them in place is a safety hazard.

“Playgrounds have (a) useful life of 15 years, and we have 12 playgrounds that are over 25-years-old,” Biggs said. “We’re not going to be able to do everything at once. The conse quence, like in parks, is largely just taking out equipment until we get around to replacing.”

Ald. Jonathan Nieuwsma (4th) suggested the city connect with nonprofit organizations to improve parks.

The city also added a new sustainability section to focus on sustainable-centered infra structure, continuing with last year’s goal of combining CIP infrastructure development with environmental justice through the Cli mate Action and Resilience Plan. The plan aims to get Evanston to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Ald. Devon Reid (8th) said it is important to consider geographic equity when implement ing this year’s plan. Sewage and stormwater replacement is especially important in the 8th Ward, where he said climate change is causing residents’ homes to flood.

“The south end of town, the 8th Ward, has been experiencing, especially with the rain in the last few weeks and few recent storms, really bad flooding,” Reid said. “We’re making invest ments here, particularly in the south and part of town that I represent.”

Council will continue to discuss the CIP to bring down costs and further develop equity goals in the plan, Mayor Daniel Biss said.

Content warning: this story contains mentions of suicide.

Evanston police located a deceased adult on the north side of Evanston Township High School’s campus Tuesday morning. The city’s medical examiner ruled Wednesday that the deceased female died by suicide.

Police said the 63-year-old female had no affiliation with ETHS, and there was no foul play involved. Evanston detectives and evidence technicians investigated the woman’s death.

There was no active threat to students or staff, according to ETHS. Classes were held as planned on Tuesday, though there was a police presence outside the school during the morning.

“ETHS students and staff were not in any danger at any time. Everyone at ETHS is safe and there is no threat during the EPD investiga tion on campus,” the school said in a Tuesday statement.

The department said it will not be releasing additional details about the investigation.

After investigation, EPD rules death of woman found at ETHS a suicide

Taste of Evanston fundraises for accessible housing

By OLATUNJI OSHO-WILLIAMS daily senior staffer @osho_olatunji

Gathered beneath white tents, attendees of the eighth annual Taste of Evanston spent their time — and money — to whet their appetites and fight housing insecurity Sunday.

The Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club hosts the yearly event, which was held at the Charles Gates Dawes House, to fundraise for local organizations. The majority of proceeds will go to Connections for the Homeless and Reba Place Development Corporation, who have been principal beneficiaries in past Taste of Evanston events.

“We’ve always dedicated the majority of our proceeds to some theme, some need in Evan ston,” Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club Presi dent Kathy Tate-Bradish said. “The majority of this fundraiser is spent locally and for the last … probably five years, our focus has been on affordable housing.”

Connections for the Homeless helps secure permanent housing and provides financial help to those facing housing insecurity in Evanston, along with providing emergency shelter to people in crisis.

The Reba Place Development Corpora tion, founded in 1995, redevelops buildings to provide safe and affordable housing for lower income Evanstonians. RPDC has developed several housing properties, including Mulford Commons Condominium on 602 Mulford Street.

“Housing prices are going up way faster than wages are,” said David Janzen, the current Presi dent of the RPDC Board of Directors. “That’s our mission — not just to provide affordable housing for the buildings we’ve got but to develop more housing.”

Along with Tate-Bradish, journalist and event emcee Maudlyne Ihejirika emphasized the importance of organizations laying the groundwork in the fight against homelessness and housing insecurity.

Mayor Daniel Biss and Ald. Jonathan Nieu wsma (4th) also spoke about housing insecurity at the event.

“In a small town like this, Rotary Club really

is an engine for kind of coming together to do good work. And it’s all in support of affordable housing, which is like the most important thing we do,” said Biss.

Randy Usen, a longtime member of the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club who vol unteered at the event, said the club began recruiting restaurants in January. It aimed to feature locally-owned and -operated Evanston restaurants.

“It’s very important to us that we treat our local restaurants well, and that they get the attention from the local community… because

they’re supporting this cause,” Usen said. “It’s really become probably one of the more signa ture events in Evanston taking place.”

Local restaurants such as Habibi In Medi terranean Grill, Reza’s Restaurant, the Celtic Knot Public House and Coffee Lab & Roasters Evanston offered at Taste of Evanston.

Mahmoud Sabla opened Habibi In Mediter ranean Grill in December 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant’s first appearance at Taste of Evanston was an oppor tunity to share its food with a wider audience, Sabla said.

“It’s awesome, it’s phenomenal,” Sabla said. “I think every city in Illinois should do the same.”

tunjiosho-williams2025@u.northwestern.edu

Scan this QR code with Snapchat or your smartphone camera to view a video with addi tional reporting on the event.

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Olatunji Osho-Williams/The Daily Northwestern Cupitol Coffee & Eatery brought croissants and muffins to Taste of Evanston.

Rounding up the state of Northwestern fall sports

By CHARLOTTE VARNES, ALEX CERVANTES, KATE WALTER daily senior staffers @cervantespalex @charvarnes11 @katewalter03

Northwestern has only held classes for three days, but some student-athletes have been on campus for weeks already, prepar ing for games and competing in matchups in Evanston and around the country. Some fall sports have been in full swing for over a month. Here’s a break down of everything that’s happened so far with Wildcat athletics this fall, including information about the multiple ranked programs on campus and the biggest matchups so far.

Field Hockey

Currently ranked No. 1 in the country, field hockey is off to its best start since 1985. NU remains undefeated and boasts a 12-game winning streak dating back to last season – the second-longest streak in program history.

While the Wildcats escaped two nar row matchups last weekend, they have been unstoppable for the most part. Graduate forward Bente Baekers is lighting up on offense, leading the nation in goals and goals per game. She also recently became the first NU student-athlete to ever win back to back Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week awards.

Women’s Soccer

Winning five straight games, women’s soccer continues to cement its case as one of the nation’s premier teams. Now ranked No. 9 in the country and sporting victories over then-No. 19 Xavier and then-No. 6 Stanford, NU heads to Nebraska for its first Big Ten road game Thursday.

Senior defender Danika Austin, senior midfielder Rowan Lapi, sophomore defender Emma Phillips and graduate student goalkeeper Mia Raben anchor a backline that has allowed the second fewest goals in the conference.

Men’s Soccer

After losing a large batch of seniors, men’s soccer retooled with 11 new faces, including a top-five national recruiting class. Despite the buzz, the 2022 season has gotten off to a rough start.

NU has just one win, a 2-1 victory over Houston Baptist, in its first seven matches. A four-match goalless streak from Aug. 28 to Sept. 9 saw the Wildcats go 0-3-2 before the home victory against the Huskies.

Cross Country

The Cats turned out in force during their first two meets of the season. NU domi nated at the NIU Huskie Challenge, with freshman Skye Ellis leading the team to victory and seven of the top eight finishes.

2022 NCAA qualifier Rachel McCardell snagged an eighth place finish at the Big Ten Preview and graduate student Ari Marks took tenth place.

With a win at NIU and a third place finish at the Big Ten Preview, the Cats are currently ranked fourth in the Midwest, ahead of last season’s Big Ten champions, Minnesota.

Volleyball

The Cats are off to their best start since 2012. NU is in the midst of a dramatic turn around from last season, when it kicked off the season at 1-4. Now, the Cats are receiv ing votes in the national poll, and rank in the top ten nationally in hitting percentage.

The combination of a top-ten recruit ing class and dynamic returners has been key for NU. Senior outside hitter Temi Thomas-Ailara has been a star for the Cats, already tallying 164 this season, and junior setter Alexa Rousseau has been an impor tant playmaker, too. After a 11-1 start in non-conference play, NU kicks off Big Ten competition against Illinois and Wisconsin this weekend.

Women’s Golf

One of NU’s most storied programs, women’s golf experienced a rocky start at their first tournament of the year. The Cats traveled to New Mexico to compete in the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire

Invitational, where they finished 10th of 18 teams.

Graduate student Kelly Sim led the Cats, tying for 15th overall. Sim, a veteran, will lead the team alongside junior Jennifer Cai, who played a dynamic 2021 season.

Men’s Golf Men’s golf has only played in one tourna ment this fall, the Fighting Illini Intercol legiate, and it was a tough showing. NU

Varnes: This fall, watch women’s sports

By CHARLOTTE VARNES daily senior staffer @charvarnes11

When I arrived at Northwestern from Florida, field hockey was a for eign concept to me. Just a handful of Floridian schools sponsor the sport, which is known for its northeastern roots in the U.S.

Two years later, I wouldn’t call myself a field hockey expert. But I’ve grown to love spending time at Lake side Field, watching the Wildcats dart down the field, deliver power ful shots and make magic happen.

Field hockey isn’t the only pro gram that has drawn me in during my time in Evanston. I’ve covered games at Welsh-Ryan Arena, Lake side Field and Martin Stadium for The Daily. And most often, I’m mak ing these treks to cover women’s sporting events.

Initially, it was because of famil iarity. I played lacrosse and ran cross country in high school, so those seemed like natural fits to write about. Since then, I’ve gone on to cover women’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s golf and softball. Each time, I learn something new, and my appreciation for college sports grows.

All of these programs — in addi tion to the several women’s teams I didn’t mention — share one common trait: historical success. Lacrosse has won seven national championships. Softball has made the trip to six Women’s College World Series. After several success ful seasons, field hockey finally got its first national title last fall. Numer ous other programs have wins in the Big Ten and on the national level under their belt.

This fall is no different. Currently, there are two ranked women’s teams on campus: field hockey at No. 1 and women’s soccer at No. 9. As an added bonus, volleyball is receiving votes in the national poll, and cross country ranks No. 4 in the Midwest region.

Yes, it’s generally more enjoy able to write about winning teams than losing teams. But it’s also fun to cover these programs because of their exciting storylines, how gifted the student-athletes are and how much I learn every time I follow along from

the press box — or the stands.

There is no better time to start supporting women’s sports at NU than this quarter. With so many pro grams in the swing of their seasons, there’s practically always a game going on. This weekend in Evan ston, field hockey opens Big Ten play against Iowa on Friday and takes on Richmond on Sunday. If you want to tune in to away games, women’s soccer is at Minnesota on Sunday and volleyball is taking on Wisconsin and Illinois on Friday and

Saturday, respectively.

If you’ve got other plans this week end, I still encourage you to keep up with NU women’s sports over the coming months. Whether you’re watching field hockey’s Bente Baek ers notch seemingly impossible goals at Lakeside Field or volleyball’s Temi Thomas-Ailara tally powerful kills at Welsh-Ryan Arena, you’ll get a front row seat to some of the nation’s most electric players and teams.

As we celebrate 50 Years of Title IX in 2022, it’s only fitting to uplift

NU’s talented women student-ath letes. NU has done a fantastic job investing in women’s sports, and now it’s our turn to take advantage of the world-class athletics we have on our campus.

So, go to a game, follow along on Twitter or read The Daily’s stories about NU’s women’s sports. We’ll be at games, providing minute-tominute, daily coverage. You should be there, too.

finished second to last out of 15 teams, 17 strokes above 13th-place Pepperdine.

The Wildcats do return serious talent.

Unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selec tion and conference individual title winner David Nyfjäll is back — he finished tied for 56th in the weekend tournament.

alexcervantes2024@u.northwestern.edu charlottevarnes2024@u.northwestern.edu katewalter2025@u.northwestern.edu

NU helps with NIL

By ALEX CERVANTES daily senior staffer @cervantespalex

In an ever-changing college athlet ics landscape, Northwestern is seek ing new ways to support and reward its student-athletes.

On the heels of National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston, in which the Supreme Court ruled the NCAA’s restric tion of education-related benefits violated antitrust laws, NU announced on Sept. 13 that all student-athletes on scholarship can accept academic awards during the 2022-23 academic year.

“Our purpose always will be centered on supporting Northwestern student-athletes in every possible way as they develop in the classroom, in the community and in com petition,” Athletic Director Derrick Gragg said in a Sept. 13 news release. “This ability to recognize and reward academic achieve ment is the latest example of our University providing a first-class foundation for Wild cats to grow and excel.”

NU will also partner with sports mer chandise brand Fanatics and OneTeam which will allow Wildcat student-athletes to profit off of their name, image and like ness, the University announced Tuesday.

As a result of these partnerships, the Cats’ faithful fans will be able to buy person alized t-shirts with the name and number of their favorite NU athletes later this fall.

“We are thrilled to partner with two innovative companies that are committed to developing opportunities for studentathletes to maximize their personal brands,” NU Executive Senior Associate A.D. for Revenue Generation and Strategic Initia tives Tyler Jones said in a news release. “This program will ensure Wildcats con tinue to stay on the cutting-edge of a con stantly evolving NIL landscape.”

Only fall sports teams, including foot ball, volleyball and men’s and women’s soc cer, will be included in the initial launch, according to the University. Winter and spring teams, including, but not limited to, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and softball, will launch later this year.

NU’s new partnership with Fanatics comes nearly two weeks after the retailer released its first batch of NIL college foot ball jerseys.

Daily file photo by Joshua Hoffman

Daily file photo by John Riker