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The Daily Northwestern Monday, October 30, 2023
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Climate Hope event generates joy in city Residents discuss climate solutions and local advocacy By LILY OGBURN
daily senior staffer @lilyogburn
When Jessy Bradish, a board member for Climate Action Evanston, took out her ukelele and played a song about climate action for a crowd of community members at Sunday’s Climate Hope event, the audience applauded her witty lyrics. Bradish’s performance was one of many testimonies during the event’s open mic, where residents and organizers discussed their feelings about climate change and their hopes for the future. CAE, an organization that works with residents, businesses, faith communities and city government on climate action in Evanston, helped organize the event in collaboration with Evanston Township High School’s E-Town Sunrise and Fossil Free Northwestern. Around 40 residents made their way through tables inside Arrington Lakefront Lagoon shelter at Dawes Park, creating crafts, reading educational
materials and engaging in conversations with other community members. Event organizers said they wanted to spark dialogue among residents, students and activists about climate change, and share ideas for how to build a more sustainable future. Milo Slevin, an ETHS senior and the hub coordinator for E-Town Sunrise, said the event’s purpose was to instill hope in a topic surrounded by “doomism.” “There’s just a lot of negativity, and it’s really hard to stay positive when the world is at stake,” Slevin said. “We feel like there needs to be a space for climate hope.” Slevin also highlighted that Climate Hope was an “intergenerational event.” People of all ages attended the event to discuss climate solutions and learn about local organizations. According to Bradish, the idea for the event stemmed from conversations among collaborators after an Oct. 6 presentation at Northwestern by Adam Aron, a professor from the University of California San Diego. Following the presentation, members of E-Town
» See CLIMATE HOPE, page 1
Yanyan Li/The Daily Northwestern
Graduate student midfielder Alia Marshall prepares to shoot. Marshall notched a goal and two assists in Northwestern’s 5-1 rout of Maryland Thursday.
Field hockey secures Big Ten title NU’s win is the first outright regular season championship since 1994 By ALEX CERVANTES
daily senior staffer @cervantespalex
What’s important now? That was Northwestern’s
message ahead of its clash with No. 7 Maryland. It’s the same message — abbreviated to W.I.N. — that has guided the No. 1 Wildcats to the nation’s top ranking, the program’s longest-ever win streak and a perfect 8-0 finish in conference
play. Above all else, the motto has carried NU (16-1, 8-0 Big Ten) to its first outright regular season championship since 1994, officially stamped following a 5-1 rout of the Terrapins (14-4, 6-2
Big Ten) on Thursday. “It’s just a testament to all of our hard work,” graduate student midfielder Alia Marshall said. “It’s all culminated to this moment …
» See FIELD HOCKEY, page 6
Faculty demand Ryan Field answers Local labor union The resolution raises concerns over University’s plans to fund new field By JOANNA HOU
daily senior staffer @joannah_11
More than 200 faculty members have signed a resolution demanding Northwestern administrators answer their questions regarding how the University will fund its Rebuild Ryan Field project. The resolution, initially drafted by nine Faculty Senate members, raises concerns about the University’s plans to fund Ryan Field outside of a $480 million gift from the Patrick and Shirley Ryan family. It calls on Luke Figora — NU’s chief operating officer and vice president for operations — to answer ten questions related to the financial upkeep, funding and long-term sustainability of the Ryan Field project. The Rebuild Ryan Field project is estimated to cost about $800 million, leaving about $320 million in remaining costs. At an Oct. 16 Faculty Senate meeting, University President Michael Schill said three other components will make up this gap: additional philanthropy, some University capital and a debt, which will be owed by
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NU’s operation. It remains unclear how much money in the Ryan family gift is set aside specifically for rebuilding Ryan Field. The University did not immediately respond to The Daily’s request for comment about where Rebuild Ryan Field funding will come from or how much debt the University might incur. Economics Prof. Joseph Ferrie, who helped draft the resolution, said administrators had never raised the possibility of incurring debt before that meeting, which concerns him because of how much interest rates have increased over the past year. Borrowing at a 7% rate — or even a 5% one — would become a “large recurring cost” for the University, he said. This issue, combined with the downgrading of NU’s bonds, means further costs, Ferrie added. “The other problem is that there’s a limit to how much debt the market is willing to accept from Northwestern,” Ferrie said. “So if we get into another challenging financial situation for reasons unrelated to Ryan Field in the future, our ability to maneuver is going to be substantially reduced by the fact that we’ve got additional outstanding debt as a result
members rally Organizers call for city to pass new contract ordinance By LILY CAREY
daily senior staffer @lilylcarey
Daily file photo by Leah Schroeder
University President Michael Schill addressed questions about Ryan Field funding at the Oct. 16 Faculty Senate meeting.
of Ryan Field.” Ferrie also cited NU’s recent financial history as a point of concern, as the University has faced several budgetary challenges in the past decade. In 2017, spending on financial aid, high-profile faculty and new construction projects sent the University into a multi-million dollar budget deficit. The Faculty Senate was alerted to this deficit
in January 2018. Though thenProvost Jonathan Holloway told The Daily no cuts would be made to faculty or staff in May 2018, the University laid off 80 staff members in July 2018. After anticipating a $90 million budgetary shortfall at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, NU furloughed 250 staff members,
» See FACULTY, page 6
About 25 local labor organizers — and a fleet of giant inflatable rats — lined Sherman Avenue early Thursday morning, calling for the city to pass a Responsible Bidder Ordinance. Under current city law, publicly bid contracts for city construction projects go by default to the lowest bidder that is a “responsive and responsible” business. A Responsible Bidder Ordinance would specify that the city must award contracts to the lowest “responsible” bidder, encouraging officials to take into account contractors’ treatment of workers. The city doesn’t currently have a specific ordinance defining what qualifies as a “responsible” bidder. As protesters pointed out Thursday, the lowest bidder isn’t always the “best.” “A lot of times, we’ll have
contractors that bid the lowest, and there are issues with their work performance or issues with their timelines or issues with their safety and having consistent manpower for projects,” Jeremy Esparza, a business agent with Laborers Local One who attended Thursday’s rally, said. “So RBO, in essence, is simply a taxpayer protection plan (to) make sure that taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely.” Thursday’s rally drew members of local carpenter, ironworker, painter, electrician and bricklayer unions, many of whom came to emphasize the importance of prioritizing worker safety in choosing responsible bidders for city projects. It was not the first time union members have called for safer conditions at job sites in downtown Evanston. Last month, several members of bricklayer and carpenter unions gathered outside of a construction site at 1710 Sherman Ave. to call for a fair contract at the site. And as post-pandemic construction projects spring up throughout
» See UNION RALLY, page 6
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