The Daily Northwestern — November 6, 2024

ELECTION COVERAGE 2024

Trump poised for historic win

Former president inches toward 270 as counting rolls on

By NICOLE MARKUS and LILY OGBURN daily senior staffers

@nicolejmarkus

Former president Donald Trump is poised to win the presidential election, according to data from the Associated Press.

Early data from the night showed the former president signi cantly outpacing his 2020 performance as Harris underperformed with key voter demographics and in key states.

Trump addressed supporters at Trump Headquarters in West Palm Beach, Florida, just before 1:30 a.m., claiming victory.

“I want to thank the American people for the extraordinary honor of being elected your 47th president and your 45th president,” Trump said. “Every day I will be ghting for you with every breath in my body.”

Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) also addressed the crowd, calling Trump’s projected victory “the greatest political comeback in the history of America.”

Northwestern students preferred Harris in this year’s election, e Daily’s rst poll of undergraduate students showed.

Among NU students who said they were “very likely” or “likely” to vote in the general election, Harris led Trump by 84 percentage points. Only one in 20 students with a voting preference said they would vote for Trump.

e AP called Trump’s victory in North Carolina and Georgia, two of seven ba leground states, before midnight on Election Day, narrowing Harris’ path to winning the presidency to the “blue wall” states of Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

But it became clear that Harris would not be able to secure the three states, and in turn, the presidency. e AP called Pennsylvania for Trump at 1:30 a.m.

Cedric Richmond, the co-chair of the Harris-Walz campaign, announced to supporters at Howard University that Harris would not address the crowd as planned and would instead speak on the election results in the morning.

Republicans took control of the Senate as well, the AP reported shortly before midnight.

Students worry as results roll in

Potential for second Trump term causes anxiety, fear at NU

By NINETH KANIESKI KOSO

daily senior staffers

As the election results continued to trail in, many students expressed fear and anxiety about the implications of the presidential election between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening. McCormick sophomore Lucy Madsen said her biggest anxiety about this year’s election is related to environmental policies. As an environmental engineering major, she said she is concerned that Trump may roll back the Environmental Protection Agency, affecting her future job prospects.

She added she has found Trump’s rhetoric to be very concerning, especially after comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage” at a Trump rally.

“I’m really concerned by the dehumanization that is happening in a lot of the (Trump) campaign,” Madsen said. “The whole talking about Haitian

immigrants earlier this year turned into a joke for everybody but it felt really, really scary in the moment to just be like, ‘Oh, now that’s just normal to paint these people using dehumanizing language.’”

Coming from Utah, a red state, Madsen said it can feel like her vote doesn’t matter. However, she said she always votes in local elections — where change is more possible.

Ahead of the election, Madsen said she has been trying to avoid watching the news as a way to relieve her election anxiety.

“ e stakes of the election feel really high,” Madsen said. “It’s just hard having it so close, you can’t see who’s actually ahead.”

Weinberg freshman Andrew Onema said he is concerned about the possibility of increasing violence during and after the election.

Onema said while this election is the first one he has voted in, he is scared about increased polarization in politics.

“I feel like there might be backlash on either end of or protest on either end of whichever candidate wins,” Onema said. “I do think back to some of the larger protests on Jan. 6 as

» See VOTING ANXIETY, page 14

WAY OFF COURSE

By COLE REYNOLDS and JERRY WU daily senior staffers @charcole27 /@jerrwu

Students and sta report some dining workers for harassment. Compass transfers them — and misconduct continues.

Content warning: is story mentions sexual harassment and racism.

McCormick junior Yaa returned to her dorm in tears on Feb. 11. She recalled grabbing a tub of ice cream and spending the rest of the day under her covers.

transparency about Compass’ complaint process, including for allegations of abuse and sexual harassment. In addition, Compass quietly shifted employees accused of misconduct to different facilities on several occasions.

Three days later, Yaa accused an Allison dining hall worker of a pattern of sexual harassment in a written complaint. Her report detailed a series of sexualizing comments and interactions that spanned months.

“The shift in the nature of (the employee’s) compliments and him hugging me have caused me much uneasiness and discomfort,” Yaa wrote in the complaint. She asked to go by a pseudonym for fear of retribution from the worker.

A Compass spokesperson told The Daily these transfers are not an attempt to avoid disciplinary action or termination, but “a deliberate effort to resolve the situation in a fair and equitable manner.” However, transfers are frequent enough that some dining workers said they have come to view employees moved into their workplace with suspicion.

Compass Group, the company that runs Northwestern’s food service, placed the employee on leave after receiving the report, according to dining hall workers familiar with the situation. After filing, Yaa said she didn’t encounter him in Allison again, and she began to feel comfortable dining there.

comments as innocent, even when they started making her uncomfortable. For example, she remembered thinking it was odd when he called her a “beautiful Nubian queen” while he walked by her table.

Workers saw getting moved as one step closer to getting fired, as one Allison employee put it. But often, these individuals were not fired, at least not until they had been moved several times. And abusive behaviors often followed the employees to their new locations, several workers told The Daily.

But later, she recalled seeing the employee working at MOD Pizza in Norris University Center. His reappearance came as a shock, she said, because no one had told her he was returning to work. And since she was working in Norris just a floor above the restaurant, she found it difficult to avoid him.

The cook did not deny making the comments about Yaa and her friend but said he wanted “to encourage them” and said the students misconstrued his words.

“There was nothing lewd,” he said. “I don’t say things to make them uncomfortable.”

“What the f--- is the point?” asked one Foster-Walker Complex dining hall employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of retribution from management. “You remove the abusive person here so she can go abuse other people? What problem does that solve?”

“I don’t know if blindsided is the right word,” Yaa said. “But then it’s like, I was transparent and I’d opened up about something that was difficult to talk about, so I expected a lot more.”

But the employee’s actions became more explicit as Fall Quarter 2023 passed, Yaa said. Once, while Yaa was waiting for the cook to serve her food, he commented on the gloss of her lips. Then, he asked her to walk around the divider separating them and to give him a kiss on the cheek, she recalled.

‘I was just shocked’

The employee Yaa filed a complaint against was a cook at the Pure Eats station in Allison, where cooks hand food to diners over a glass divider. For Yaa, the food also often came with one of the cook’s comments.

Yaa’s experience is not unique. Interviews with and written complaints from over a dozen students and dining hall employees reveal a lack of

In her complaint, Yaa wrote that the cook asked for a kiss jokingly. But combined with his prior string of comments, Yaa said she began to feel uncomfortable in the cook’s presence.

“It’s either he doesn’t say anything, or if he does say something, it’s something crazy,” Yaa said.

Yaa spent the rest of the quarter avoiding Allison’s Pure Eats station whenever possible. She said she recruited friends who would scout out Allison before meals and send her a text if they saw the cook. And when she did visit the dining hall, she grabbed food from the other stations and took it to go to avoid the cook.

They started out small, Yaa said. A compliment about her skin. Another about how pretty she looked that day.

Yaa’s friend, who requested anonymity for fear of retribution from the Allison cook, recalled receiving similar remarks.

For months, Yaa viewed the

On occasion, particularly when the cold grew more biting and walks to farther dining halls grew less appealing, Yaa found herself spending money on delivery services to avoid going to Allison.

Evanston voters support Harris in exit surveys

By ISAIAH STEINBERG daily senior staffer @isaiahstei27

Evanston residents flocked to the polls Tuesday despite a deluge of rain. Many voters were driven by two main issues in the 2024 presidential election: preserving democracy and protecting reproductive rights.

The Daily interviewed more than two dozen voters at six polling locations representing seven wards in Evanston: the Jane R. Perlman Apartments, Robert Crown Community Center, Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center, Haven Middle School, Lincolnwood Elementary School and Dawes Elementary School.

We asked voters to identify their most important issues, the stakes of the presidential election, why it’s important to vote, who they voted for and whether they believe their preferred candidate will win.

No voters interviewed by The Daily indicated support for former President Donald Trump, while all who were willing to share said they voted for Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The most important issue is not to let Trump back in office,” Evanston resident Ty Colvin said. “It was pretty scary last time, and I just needed to vote against that happening again.”

Several Evanston voters said they were anxious about the election and the future of the country more broadly.

7th Ward resident Michael Ray said they agree with Harris’s progressive policies on LGBTQ+ rights, women’s reproductive rights and civil rights in general.

“We really need to protect our vulnerable populations,” Ray said. “Even if you’re not a member of a community that’s marginalized or whose rights are being stripped away, I hope people across America can have empathy and compassion.”

Several voters expressed that Trump’s personal characteristics made him unfit for a second term.

Chuck Psotka, a 7th Ward Resident, said he did not want someone accused of fraud and sexual assault in the Oval Office, “no matter what the policies are.”

Comparatively few Evanston voters identified cost of living as a key issue. However, Evanston resident Breannah Ranger was one who did. She said she believes Harris would lower the costs of food, housing and childcare.

The majority of voters interviewed emphasized the importance of voting even as rain poured outside polling places Tuesday. Despite the inclement weather, several voters said voting is a civic duty, and that, even in a deep blue state, they felt their vote counted.

Colvin said her grandmother, who was a

Louisiana sharecropper and could not vote, taught her the importance of voting.

“Anytime you have a right to vote, you can have it taken away at any time,” she said. “You better get out there. Rain is nothing.”

Four voters interviewed said a key issue was the Israel-Hamas War. Lucy Liquori, a 4th Ward resident, said although she does not fully approve of the Biden administration’s response to the war, Harris is “the better of the two evils.”

The Daily previously reported that some Evanston residents were planning not to vote in Tuesday’s election, citing Harris’ support for Israel.

Several voters said they were not entirely satisfied with the choice between Harris and

Trump. Still, local residents overwhelmingly expressed their support for Harris, expressing support for her positions on climate change, the economy, education, and, primarily, democracy and reproductive freedoms.

“This election, probably more than any in recent times, is a clear choice between — as Kamala Harris would say — going forward or going back,” 6th Ward resident Amy Katzoff said. “Seeing all the hate, antisemitism and fearmongering that’s been going on during the election — it would be nice if it stopped, and we went back to a civilized society that could talk civilly about politics.”

isaiahsteinberg2027@u.northwestern.edu

Illustration by Cayla Labgold-Carroll

Students value abortion, climate change

By MINTESINOT STURM

Polling stations for Northwestern students opened to first-time voters and veterans alike on Election Day. Throughout the day, students filed in and out of Parkes Hall and Noyes Cultural Arts Center to cast their vote in the general election.

First-time election judge Susan Treacy said the turnout throughout the day at Parkes Hall was very high, and the energy was palpable.

Nearly 500 ballots were cast by students by 4:30 p.m., Treacy said. In total, around 800 ballots were cast at the two polling stations.

“Overall, students have been really excited and positive and just really proud to vote,” Treacy said.

Medill freshman Luluya Tekle said she was excited to be a first-time voter, especially because she will be the first in her family to vote.

Tekle said abortion is an issue she is “not willing to compromise on,” which motivated her to vote.

“I’ve been hearing a lot of people say (this election is) like choosing the lesser of two evils,” Tekle said. “Even though it’s not a good choice either way and there’s going to be an outcome either way, so make sure you have an impact on that outcome.”

Communication freshman Creighton Smith-Allaire said he voted absentee in his home state of Kansas for the first time. He said he has been looking forward to voting for quite some time.

Initially, when President Joe Biden dropped out and Kamala Harris took over, SmithAllaire said he was worried about the future of the country and the Democratic party. However, when Harris gained traction in the weeks following, Smith-Allaire said he felt much more encouraged about her chances of winning.

“(Voting) is a civic duty, a responsibility as

an American,” Smith-Allaire said. “Especially with what we saw with (Donald) Trump as president, I wanted a voice in my government.”

Weinberg sophomore Meazi Light-Orr said though she is thrilled to vote, her excitement is tinged with concern about a possible second Trump term.

Light-Orr said she was excited to vote in her first election. SIn her enthusiasm, she registered in Evanston so she could vote in person instead of sending an absentee ballot to her home in Los Angeles.

“Watching the (Barack) Obama speech at the (Democratic National Convention) was a

moment of ‘Oh, this isn’t the end of the world,’ and it’s less bleak than at some points early on,” Light-Orr said.

Medill sophomore Gabe Shumway said he voted in Illinois for the first time on Tuesday after previously voting in his home state of Massachusetts.

Shumway said the ongoing climate crisis and economy were important issues that motivated him to vote for Harris.

“There’s a sense of unease for the future, but we must stay positive,” he said. mintesinotsturm2028@u.northwestern.edu

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voted at Parkes Hall and Noyes Cultural Arts Center.

Cuisine

Election Coverage 2024

Gabel to win 8th term in state House Election Coverage 2024

By WILLIAM TONG daily senior staffer @william2tong

With about 95% of the votes tallied, IL Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) is projected to win her eighth term in the Illinois House. She beat Republican challenger Charles Hutchinson by about 79% to 21%.

The New York Times called the race for Gabel at about 7:50 p.m., with data from The Associated Press.

Gabel, who was appointed House Majority Leader in January 2023, is focused on expanding health care access, increasing gun safety and protecting abortion access at the legislature, according to her campaign website. She represents all of Evanston except for a sliver of the 6th Ward.

“I’m so proud to be part of a community that really leads on issues that matter most,” Gabel said. “It’s really such an honor to continue to make our voices heard in Springfield.”

During her time in the state House, Gabel helped balance the state’s budget and pass legislation requiring electric vehicle charging stations in some homes. Gabel said she’s also led efforts to decrease healthcare inequities for Black women in childbirth. She helped pass

Schakowsky to win new House term

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Democrat Eileen O’Neill Burke is projected to win her campaign for Cook County State’s Attorney over Republican Robert Fioretti and Libertarian Andrew Kopinski.

O’Neill Burke received 65.7% of the vote as of 10:27 p.m., with 77.3% of the vote counted, according to data from the Associated Press. Fioretti had 29.9% and Kopinski had 4.4%.

O’Neill Burke will succeed Kim Foxx, who assumed the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in December 2016. Foxx announced she wouldn’t seek a third term in April 2023.

“We commit to a smooth transition for our residents and toward achieving Justice Burke’s vision of expanded restorative justice that serves all communities,” the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement released on X.

O’Neill Burke narrowly defeated Clayton Harris III in March’s Democratic primary, winning by less than 1,600 votes.

A former prosecutor, defense attorney and judge, O’Neill Burke was most recently an Illinois Appellate Court judge from 2016 to 2023. She had previously served as an assistant state’s attorney for 10 years.

“There were a million reasons not to get in this race,” O’Neill Burke said to supporters in her victory speech Tuesday night. “But, I had this stubborn belief I could not shake. I believed we could make Cook County safer and have a justice system that works for

everyone.”

O’Neill Burke’s campaign focused on getting guns off the street, addressing the root causes of crime and rebuilding the state’s attorney’s office with a new education and training curriculum. She was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald and the Sierra Club of Illinois — as well as a number of elected officials, labor organizations and lawyer committee co-chairs.

Fioretti, who won the Republican nomination, is a civil rights attorney and former Democratic Chicago alderperson. After unsuccessfully running for mayor and Cook County Board president, Fioretti ran on the Republican ticket, citing a progressive shift in Democratic politics. His platform has centered around working with law enforcement and cracking down on illegal immigration. Kopinski, the Libertarian candidate, is a self-employed lawyer, accountant and real estate agent. He ran on reducing violent crime and property crime in Cook County.

the Birth Equity Act in 2024, which mandates that health insurance in Illinois cover abortions and other pregnancy-related care without extra costs.

Currently, Gabel serves as Rules Committee chair in the Illinois House. She also heads the Medicaid working group and serves on the energy working group.

Gabel assumed her current leadership position as the Democratic establishment in Springfield reorganized after the indictment of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan on bribery and racketeering charges. She said new legislative leaders have taken action to prevent corruption.

“The main step we took was to have House rules that the Speaker can only serve for 10 years,” Gabel said. “So nobody can build up that kind of power.”

Her opponent, Hutchinson, is a Wilmette attorney who formerly served as president of the Wilmette/Kenilworth Chamber of Commerce. He campaigned on a platform of reigning in state government spending and decreasing the cost of living in Illinois, he told The Daily Tuesday night.

Hutchinson said he doesn’t dispute current projections for Gabel. While Hutchinson said he expected the result, “it’s always tough to lose.”

“I think I did a good job,” Hutchinson said. “You’re out there talking to the voters is what you have to do.”

Gabel also beat Hutchinson with more than 80% of the vote in 2022.

Before her time in the General Assembly, Gabel served as executive director of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition from 1988-2010. She was appointed to the Commission on the Elimination of Poverty in March 2009.

Moving forward, Gabel said she’ll continue to champion the environment and reproductive health care access in Illinois.

“ ose will continue to be my principles every day,” she said. “Taking those issues back to Springeld with me.”

williamtong2026@u. northwestern.edu

By JAKE EPSTEIN daily senior staffer @jakeepste1n

Democrat Eileen O’Neill

Burke is projected to win her campaign for Cook County State’s Attorney over Republican Robert Fioretti and Libertarian Andrew Kopinski.

O’Neill Burke received 65.7% of the vote as of 10:27 p.m., with 77.3% of the vote counted, according to data from the Associated Press. Fioretti had 29.9% and Kopinski had 4.4%.

O’Neill Burke will succeed Kim Foxx, who assumed the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in December 2016. Foxx

jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

O’Neill Burke to serve as Cook County State’s A orney

announced she wouldn’t seek a third term in April 2023.

“We commit to a smooth transition for our residents and toward achieving Justice Burke’s vision of expanded restorative justice that serves all communities,” the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office said in a statement released on X.

O’Neill Burke narrowly defeated Clayton Harris III in March’s Democratic primary, winning by less than 1,600 votes.

A former prosecutor, defense attorney and judge, O’Neill Burke was most recently an Illinois Appellate Court judge from 2016 to 2023. She had previously served as an assistant state’s attorney for 10 years.

“There were a million reasons not to get in this race,” O’Neill Burke said to supporters in her victory speech Tuesday night. “But, I had this stubborn belief I could not shake. I believed we could make Cook County safer and have a justice system that works for everyone.”

O’Neill Burke’s campaign focused on getting guns off the street, addressing the root causes of crime and rebuilding the state’s attorney’s office with a new education and training curriculum. She was endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, the Daily Herald and the Sierra Club of Illinois — as well as a number of elected officials, labor organizations and lawyer committee co-chairs.

Fioretti, who won the Republican nomination, is a civil rights attorney and former Democratic Chicago alderperson. After

unsuccessfully running for mayor and Cook County Board president, Fioretti ran on the Republican ticket, citing a progressive shift in Democratic politics. His platform has centered around working with law enforcement and cracking down on illegal immigration. Kopinski, the Libertarian candidate, is a self-employed lawyer, accountant and real estate agent. He ran on reducing violent crime and property crime in Cook County.

O’Neill Burke survived a bruising primary earlier this year against Clayton Harris III, a more left-leaning candidate favored by county Democratic leader Toni Preckwinkle. Endorsed by the Chicago Tribune in that race, O’Neill Burke pledged to take a stronger stance against violent and property crime. The general race proved quieter. But the centrist O’Neill Burke found an unusual rival in former Democrat Fioretti, who received the backing of progressive Rev. Jesse Jackson. Preckwinkle, who also serves as the president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners, stayed out of the limelight after the loss of her favored candidate. She had previously called O’Neill Burke a “de facto Republican,” according to a recent Tribune report. O’Neill Burke will assume an office that has made several left-leaning reforms. She said she would reinstate harsher consequences for cases involving shoplifting, violence on public transit and others.

Shun Graves contributed reporting. jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

Spryopoulos to fill court clerkship

By FEMI HORRALL daily senior staffer

With 91.8% of expected votes counted, Democrat Mariyana Spyropoulos is projected to win the race for Cook County Circuit Court Clerk, defeating Republican Lupe Aguirre and Libertarian Michael Murphy. Spyropoulos has received 66.5% of the vote.

e Chicago Tribune called the race at 9:47 p.m., using data from the Associated Press.

In the March Democratic primary, Spyropoulos ousted incumbent Iris Martinez, the rst Latina Cook County Circuit Court Clerk.

Spyropoulos is a former assistant state’s a orney from Chicago’s South Side with a law degree from UIC Law and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago. From 2015 to 2019, she served as president of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners.

Spyropoulos believes the clerk’s o ce su ers from a lack of transparency and failure to modernize, according to her website. An advocate for government transparency, scal responsibility and environmental stewardship, she aims to “improve the use of technology in the o ce, bring the courts to the communities to increase access to justice, and make the o ce more transparent and ethical.” Aguirre, a former Chicago police o cer and

a orney, has received 27.1% of the vote. He does not appear to have a campaign website.

Murphy, who has received 6.5% of the vote, works in information technology systems administration. He centered his campaign around increasing transparency and accountability and breaking down barriers preventing the Freedom of Information Act from being implemented within the o ce.

In a statement to e Daily, Murphy called his showing “a signi cant achievement” for the Libertarian Party in Cook County.

“I want to thank everyone for all the hard work that got us here,” Murphy said. “Being anything but a Democrat in Cook County is already hard enough, let alone being from a third party. I want to thank everyone who voted for me and realized that we can only change Cook County if we don’t vote for one of the major parties.”

In March Spyropoulos handily defeated incumbent Martinez a er receiving the blessing of the county Democratic Party. ough she had pushed to improve record-keeping during her term, Martinez drew criticism for apparent data mishandling.

Critics also highlighted a Tribune report that found Martinez’s campaign received contributions from her o ce’s employees, despite her pledge to improve a position long known for patronage and scandal.

Shun Graves contributed reporting. femihorrall2027@u.northwestern. edu

Gordon to win clerkship, focus on voter engagement

Republican candidate Michelle Pennington and Libertarian candidate Christopher Laurent in the race to fill the remainder of the late Clerk Karen Yarbrough’s term.

After Yarbrough died in April with more than two years left in office, the Cook County Democratic Party nominated Gordon, who said she considers Yarbrough a “mentor,” to run for the position in the fall.

success,” Laurent told The Daily. “We’re still waiting to see what the final vote count looks like, to see if we meet the thresholds where we can establish ourselves in the Cook County races in the future.”

joyceli2025@u.northwestern.edu

Democrat Monica Gordon will win a special election for Cook County Clerk with 65% of the vote, The New York Times projected Tuesday night with data from

As county clerk, Gordon’s responsibilities will include overseeing suburban county elections, issuing real estate taxes and managing countywide records including marriage, birth and death certificates.

WATCH

By NINETH KANIESKI KOSO daily senior staffer

Incumbent state Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz (D-Glenview) won her fourth consecutive race for the 17th district of the Illinois House of Representatives with 67.3% of the votes, according to the Associated Press, which called the race at 7:52 p.m.

Gong-Gershowitz wrote on her campaign website that she supports policies that create positive economic development including creating goodpaying jobs while also directing nancial resources towards public education and away from charter schools.

She also wrote that she wants to retain environmental legislation and expand protections for victims of gender-based persecution and immigrant families.

Gong-Gershowitz’s Republican challenger, Jim Geldermann, ran on a platform of cultural reform, calling for “dismantling the Democrats’ supermajority” and educational reform. However, this platform failed to supply him with the support necessary to win.

Before being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, Gong-Gershowitz worked as an immigration lawyer — defending unaccompanied immigrant children, domestic violence survivors and victims of child tra cking.

In 2018, Gong-Gershowitz was rst elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. During

the AssociGordon faced

Gordon told WBEZ she aims to encourage more people to vote, make more documents accessible online and use AI technology to free up clerk’s office employees for other tasks.

Pennington, who received 31% of the vote, centered her campaign on increasing security and transparency in elections, bringing back five-day work weeks for employees and ending “the culture of nepotism” within the office.

Laurent, the chairman of the 14th Police District Council who received 4.3% of the vote when the election was called at 8:38 p.m., ran on a platform that included increasing digitization, transparency and property rights protections.

“As a member of the Libertarian Party, basically showing on the ballots is always a

NORTHWESTERN STUDENTS AND EVANSTON RESIDENTS TAKE IN ELECTION RESULTS AT LOCAL WATCH PARTIES

Gong-Gershowitz to win reelection

her tenure, she has served on the Judiciary Civil, Higher Education and Immigration & Human Rights commi ees, among other commi ees, within the house.

For her upcoming term, Gong-Gershowitz wrote in the Chicago Sun-Times that a top priority of hers is to address the ongoing gun violence epidemic in the 17th district and in Illinois at large. Other issues she wants to address include increasing environmental protections and addressing the new dangers posed by arti cial intelligence.

ninethkanieskikoso2027@u.northwestern.edu

LISTEN

LOCAL VOTERS TALK PRIORITIES IN EXIT SURVEYS WITH THE DAILY AFTER CASTING VOTES IN 2024 GENERAL ELECTION

JOYCE LI @

Voters approve three non-binding ballot referenda

By DAILY NORTHWESTERN STAFF

the daily northwestern

Illinois voters are projected to accept all three referendums on their ballot, according to data from The Associated Press.

The ballot measures are in favor of protections for election workers, an income tax used to fund property tax relief and the expansion of reproductive care in health insurance.

These non-binding advisory questions do not have any direct legal effect, but allow officials to assess public opinion and could inform legislators’ decisions in the future.

Election worker protections

Illinois voters voted in overwhelming support of a non-binding advisory referendum to impose civil penalties on candidates who interfere or attempt to interfere with election workers’ duties.

With 68% of the votes counted as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday night, 88.9% of voters were in favor of the referendum, according to data from The Associated Press. The New York Times called the race at about 9 p.m. In Cook County, where 94.2% of votes have been counted, 91% of voters approve of the referendum, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The penalty applies to candidates appearing on the Illinois ballot for federal, state and local office.

Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) co-sponsored Illinois Senate Bill 2412, which includes the referendum. He said the measure comes at a time when some people doubt election fairness with “no basis of evidence at all.”

“We keep seeing and hearing of incidents about the difficulty of election workers being able to do their job and the fact that they and their families have even been harassed and even threatened,” Hoffman said. “This is something that is rearing its ugly head this election cycle. It’s something we never had experienced in this country before.”

Hoffman said the next step is for the Illinois House and Senate committees on election integrity to draft the penalty and codify it into law.

A section of the Illinois election code

currently prohibits elected officials from using public funds to sway voters.

— Desiree Luo and Anavi Prakash

Reproductive

health care coverage

Illinois voters have accepted an advisory referendum on expanding health insurance plans that cover pregnancy benefits to include coverage of assisted reproductive treatments like in vitro fertilization (IVF) state-wide.

The ballot measure, one of three advisory referenda voters considered in Illinois, won with 72.5% in support and 27.5% in opposition. The Associated Press called the race at 11:39 p.m.

Legislators could consider support for the referendum indexed by tonight’s results when making decisions about assisted reproductive treatments.

“I’ve really not spent a lot of time on what would be the next steps,” said State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea), who co-sponsored legislation proposing the the questions. Hoffman said legislators will “make a determination of what the next steps are” after the votes were counted.

While Illinois currently requires group insurance plans to cover fertility treatments, the referendum asked voters to consider whether individual health plans should be required to fully cover fertility treatments without co-pay. This would include coverage of IVF costs as many times as it takes to be effective.

Tonight’s result revealed that voters are ready to expand coverage of assisted reproductive treatments through individual health plans.

This means that Illinois residents seeking fertility treatment coverage through individual health plans may soon see legislative action in their favor. The referendum suggests an expansion of reproductive health care coverage, though it does not by itself expand access to fertility treatments.

— Samanta Habashy and Tia Bethke

Income tax for millionaires

Illinois voters are projected in favor of the

The ALLISON DAVIS Lecture Series

2024

Property Tax Relief and Fairness advisory referendum, which asked voters if the state should implement a 3% tax on income greater than $1,000,000, dedicating those funds for property tax relief.

More than 78% of the votes were counted as of 11:40 p.m. Tuesday night, with 72.6% of voters supporting the referendum, according to data from The Associated Press. The Associated Press called the race at about 11:40 p.m.

The referendum is one of three advisory questions on the ballot for Illinois voters this Election Day, which appeared for the first time in over a decade.

The referendum is supported by former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, who said that the property tax relief could impact 3 million properties and generate $4.5 billion in revenue, according to an estimate from the Illinois Department of Revenue.

“The property tax burden seems to be increasing, so the question really is, ‘How can

you address that?’” State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Swansea) said. “This advisory referendum indicates whether you would be in favor of a surcharge above income of a million dollars in order to provide property tax relief.” Illinois polls closed at about 7 p.m.. The support for the referendum means state officials will be advised to amend the Illinois Constitution to raise the income tax.

“These are advisory referendums — they don’t have the force of law behind them,” Hoffman said. “Once those results are tabulated, and you can see if the people in Illinois would like to have these issues addressed, then you need to go about the process of writing language, having it heard in committee, potentially calling it on the House or the Senate floor and getting the governor to sign it. It’s a process that can go quickly or take much more time if it gets more complicated.”

— Cassie Sun and Clare Kirwan

Evanston is making Black history. Black Evanstonians currently hold many crucial public and civic leadership posts in the areas of education, safety, the libraries, parks and recreation, philanthropy, and more. Northwestern’s Black Studies Department is also a part of Black Evanston. Our faculty, students, and staff work, live, rest, learn, organize and play in Evanston. This event will build and strengthen the ties between Black Evanston and Black Northwestern. Black Evanston leaders will share and discuss their visions for and practices towards growing Black Evanston: cultivating the growth of community assets and investments, growing the next generation of leaders in Evanston’s Black youth, and sustaining ongoing efforts at progressive policy growth.

Black Evanston: Leadership for Growth

PANEL

• Dr. Marcus Campbell, Superintendent, Evanston Township High School District 202

• Sol Anderson, President & CEO, Evanston Community Foundation

• Yolande Wilburn, Executive Director, Evanston Public Library system

• Schenita Stewart, Chief of Police, Evanston Police Department

• Audrey Thompson, Director of Parks and Recreation

• Ike Ogbo, Director of Health and Human Services

• Cherese Ledet, President & CEO, Evanston YWCA

• Monique Parsons, President & CEO, McGaw YMCA

Moderators: Mary Pattillo, Northwestern; Laurice Bell, Shorefront Legacy Center

Monday, November 18, 2024

6:00pm, with reception to follow

Second Baptist Church • 1717 Benson Ave. • Evanston, IL 60201

Co-Sponsors: Second Baptist and Shorefront Legacy Center

Free and open to the public • No tickets or reservations required For more information, contact Suzette Denose at 847.491.5122 • s-denose@northwestern.edu

The Allison Davis Lecture Series is sponsored by Weinberg College and the Edith Kreeger Wolf Endowment.

Illustration by Iliana Garner

on delivery services to avoid going to Allison.

Then, about a month after returning from Winter Break, while Yaa and her friend were sitting at a table in Allison, the cook approached Yaa from behind. He placed his arm around her shoulder and eyed her face, according to Yaa and several witnesses.

“You know what you’re doing,” he said to her, according to Yaa’s complaint. The comment wasn’t explicitly sexual, but the way he said it — “provocative,” as Yaa recalled — made it seem so.

“I was stationary,” Yaa said. “I was just shocked.”

The cook said the only time he had physical contact with a student was after one sold him a box of Girl Scout cookies. He thanked her with a hug.

Yaa said she has never been a part of Girl Scouts or sold cookies for the organization.

“They’re calling me a sexual assaulter,” the cook said. “I’m not gonna wear that badge.”

Mary Flemming, an Allison employee known to students as Ms. Mary, said she and a coworker watched the incident with Yaa from a nearby table. “Shocked” and twisted into a frown is also how Flemming remembered Yaa’s face when the cook’s arm was around her.

“She’s going to report him,” Flemming recalled her coworker saying.

Flemming said she also had a series of negative encounters with the same Pure Eats cook who Yaa reported. She said he would snap at her for talking with students, or he would call her a “b----” under his breath or even in front of students.

It boiled over in May 2023, when Flemming said she found herself just outside Allison, ready to fight the Pure Eats cook. The way she tells it, he called her a “b----” for greeting a student during breakfast. When Flemming confronted him about it, he pressed a spatula against her cheek and threatened to fight her outside, she said.

The cook said he did not start the fight with Flemming but acknowledged calling her a “b----.”

Harassment toward women is commonplace in NU kitchens, according to Plex dining hall workers Emily and Corey, who requested pseudonyms, fearing retribution from supervisors.

A Compass Group spokesperson said the company conducts comprehensive sexual harassment training for all associates and new hires on an annual basis.

But Emily said she experienced sexual harassment in 2022, just a few months after joining Compass. Her supervisor at Elder dining hall would make suggestive comments toward her, she said. One evening, as they were closing for the night, Emily said he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into a

nook near the salad bar.

Emily, who said she has trauma from previous sexual harassment, remembered going into shock.

brush it under the rug because they don’t want to deal with it,” Flemming

“You’re so pretty,” she remembered the supervisor saying. “Tell your boyfriend he’s lucky and to tell you that daily.”

“I just kind of froze up,” Emily said. “The rest of the conversation is just blank.”

The way he said it, and the wink he gave her afterward, made Emily fear the supervisor was insinuating something more, she said.

She also remembered hearsupervisor make sexual comments toward students, she said. Soon after he cornered her, she filed a written complaint against him.

The supervisor then disappeared, Emily said. But like the Pure Eats employee whom Yaa

reported, he later began working

‘Brush it under the rug’ coworker were a complaint against the happen

sided“Idon’tknowifblindistherightword. Butthenit’slike,Iwas transparentandI’d thingopenedupaboutsomethatwasdi cultpectedtotalkabout,soIexalotmore.”

Yaa said she had day. She first approached Flemming about reporting the

be better handled by a manager.

- YAA,McCormickjunior

When the manager and Yaa found a table in Allison to chat, the Pure Eats employee brought his lunch to a table just a few feet behind them. Yaa said she suspected him of listening in on her attempt to report his behavior, so she left and instead sent the complaint in an email to the manager.

However, not everyone pursues their complaint through Compass’ reporting system, which some dining hall employees described as taxing on victims.

When Compass employees report a coworker, they often opt to file a written complaint with managers, similar to what Yaa did. Complaints, either written or verbal, are processed in-house, often by managers and sometimes by HR. The University administration has little access to this process since it’s Compass that conducts the reviews.

While the complaint system is Compass policy, dining workers can also file a grievance as outlined in the workers’ union contract with UNITE HERE Local 1. The contract has been under tense renegotiations since it expired in August.

But workers only have seven days after an incident to file a grievance, and filing one requires making a trip to Chicago, deterring employees from using the process.

Instead, many turn to Compass’ complaint system. But once workers file their complaints, they seldom hear much about them, several workers told The Daily. This lack of transparency can make it difficult for workers to deduce what evidence Compass has reviewed when it decides to sanction workers.

It can also catch employees off guard when the person they reported suddenly returns to work. To some, it also feels like this hazy process enables Compass to cover up its employees’ problematic behavior.

A Compass spokesperson said the company is committed to transparent processes as well as government and union obligations.

“Bad habits (have) been going on for a long time here, and they

most unpredictable form of redress for employees. Many employees, including Flemming, said they felt like their personal relationship with their supervisor determined how seriously their complaint was taken. Several employees said they tend not to disclose problems to managers with whom they’re on bad terms, ing the manager might squash their complaint

Mia Harris, a former employee at the Starbucks inside Norris, said she had been left working by herself for seven hours without a break and ignored by her floor supervisor. This was one of many instances in which Harris remembered having to work while the shop was understaffed during her tenure from September 2023 to May 2024.

“It’s been hell,” Harris said. “I come home, and I’m totally exhausted.”

In April, she told Compass HR about being left alone for hours. In a meeting that HR arranged later on, Harris gave a step-by-step account of her story, only to be sent away with an apology for the “poor experience,” she said.

Feeling unsatisfied with how her complaint was handled, she quit her job.

“You can tell somebody, ‘Oh, this isn’t right,’” said one Allison employee, who asked to remain anonymous to avoid retribution from coworkers. “But if they have people backing them up, and they have people behind them and protecting them, what’s the point of even wasting your energy?”

Managers don’t always act as filters for complaints though, Flemming said. She used to work as a supervisor at Sargent dining hall and said she was expected to write out every complaint that she received verbally and submit them to Compass.

A Compass spokesperson said managers document each complaint and report it to the appropriate HR representative.

“Compass Group takes all associate concerns seriously, addressing each formally and with thoroughness. Investigations are conducted for any verbal or written complaint submitted, and disciplinary actions are taken based on findings,” the spokesperson said.

But now, Flemming said she suspects managers and supervisors aren’t filing the paperwork for these complaints. It takes time to write up an employee’s complaint, and she said Compass isn’t holding managers accountable for failing to do so nowadays.

“The people that they are bringing in now, it seems like they don’t care,” Flemming said.

Some workers said verbal complaints can also find their way into gossip channels, circulating around the dining hall and to the subject of the complaint.

“If you speak up, call out a problem, you will be the one punished,” Corey said.

‘Keep it hush’: Written complaints

Last academic year, Corey said she had thought about filing a different set of complaints about her manager at Plex dining hall. It came to a head when Corey’s manager, angry that Corey came to the dining hall on a day off, pulled her down one of the kitchen’s hallways and into an office.

“You people aren’t allowed to do that,” Corey and Emily remembered the manager saying to Corey.

Both Emily and Corey, who is Black, described the comment as “racist,” alleging that the manager, who is white, aimed “you people” at Black workers generally.

“It made me question her as a manager,” Corey said. “It made me question her as a person. I felt very attacked.”

Corey’s manager referred The Daily to Compass, which did not comment on the specific allegations against her.

Corey said she’d heard other employees complain about the manager’s language being racist, so she considered filing a complaint of her own, she said: a written one.

the Pure Eats cook

before Yaa agers

and the cook

easiest to file, verbal

Uncertain if managers are doing the paperwork for their complaints, employees sometimes opt to submit documentation themselves. They can submit complaints in writing, delivering them to a manager or Compass’ HR, who then conducts an investigation. It’s more formal than a verbal complaint, and it’s the process through which many harassment cases are handled.

But when workers do end up filing a written complaint, the ensuing process is often opaque. At the end of the process, employees may see the subject of their complaint reappear at a new location without prior notice.

“I also do feel like HR is also part of the problem,” Corey said. “As you can see, they just move management from one place to another instead of actually doing something.”

After the altercation with the Pure Eats cook in May 2023, Flemming decided that verbal complaints wouldn’t cut it anymore. She said she also filed a written report.

In a letter to HR, she said she detailed all of the interactions that led to the near fight in her mind: the times he called her a “b----,” how he stuck a spatula in her face, how he proposed the fight. Flemming remembered HR meeting with her and the cook separately to get their perspectives on the experience.

But after those meetings, Flemming said she didn’t hear anything else until she got a letter from HR placing her on probation for one year. Flemming doesn’t have the letter anymore — she said she tossed it in the trash in a fit of anger. But she remembered it chastising her for being “aggressive” during the encounter with the Pure Eats cook. Since her complaint was reviewed internally by Compass, Flemming doesn’t know what evidence led it to that conclusion. Compass declined to comment on the specific investigation.

its investigation into the Pure Eats cook. Not when he was suspended, nor when he came back to work at Norris. Instead, Yaa and her friends discovered his return on their own.

The cook denied the veracity of Yaa’s complaint.

It was a similar story when Emily first reported her supervisor at Elder. She said she initially approached her manager about the supervisor cornering her next to the Elder salad bar, and the manager encouraged her to file a written complaint. Emily said she submi ed a handwri en note detailing her experience and the name of a coworker who agreed to corroborate her experience.

ough Emily’s manager delivered her complaint to Compass’ HR, she said she didn’t hear anything about an investigation a erward.

Somewhere during the process, someone in HR reportedly made the decision to move the supervisor to Norris and to bar him from interacting with Emily. But she said it was her manager who told her that, not HR. She added that she was not entirely sure who had made that decision, or even if her manager had reported it to her correctly.

“ ey were trying to keep it hush, now that I think about it,” she said.

‘Pick your ba les’

And for those who reported the worker, it o en means continuously checking over their shoulder, even long a er their complaint has supposedly been resolved.

“You learn to ignore some of it,” Corey said. “You learn to pick your ba les.”

By the end of Spring Quarter, Corey’s manager was working alongside NU Dining peers, this time at Shake Smart.

Shake Smart employee Sasha, who asked to go by a pseudonym for fear of retribution from the manager, was one of several employees who asked for the manager’s reassignment when they both worked at Plex.

For Sasha, fruitless email exchanges with the HR o ce became a routine. She and several Plex employees soon asked to be transferred to escape their manager.

But just when Sasha accepted her new position at Shake Smart and thought she had moved on for good, the manager was also assigned there.

“I was just like, ‘out of all locations,’” Sasha said. “It is frustrating because I le that place because of her.”

Later in 2022, a er she had led the complaint against her supervisor, Emily found herself hiding in one of the back rooms in Plex. One of her coworkers told her they had seen the super-

“What the f--- is the point? You remove the abusive person here so she can go abuse other people? What problem does that solve?”

- FOSTER-WALKER COMPLEX DINING HALL EMPLOYEE

“I don’t know what happened to him because he went from being a villain to being a victim,” Flemming said.

visor in a hallway.

Despite his purported instructions to stay away from Emily, who had le Elder for Plex, he was looking for her.

Emily remembered trying to alert her manager about the supervisor. But the manager rebu ed her, Emily said, explaining that she was too busy to do anything about the situation.

Yaa said she also heard nothing back from Compass during

“I was just there waiting, and I would come out to see if he was still there,” Emily said.

Employees may get moved to new facilities a er complaints against them, but their pa erns of problematic behavior o en continue. For workers at the employee’s new facility, this o en means giving them a wide berth.

Shortly a er hiding in the back room, Emily said she was approached by the union to write a new complaint against her former supervisor. is time, it would join allegations from other female workers of similar behavior from the supervisor a er he was moved to Norris, Emily said. Emily didn’t end up ling her complaint, but the chorus of allegations was enough for Compass to re him, according to several workers familiar with the situation.

“We have to protect ourselves, each other,” Emily said.

e worker Yaa reported is no longer a cook and is currently working at MOD Pizza. While he does not know who reported him, he said a complaint led to his “bulls---” removal from Allison. He told e Daily that he has been in talks with Compass to regain a cook-level position in Chicago.

For the rst few weeks of Spring Quarter, Yaa said she returned to relying on her rotation of friends to report when he was working. Other times, she would send friends to grab pizza from MOD for her.

It wasn’t enough to keep her from bumping into the cook in the Norris hallways. In Spring Quarter, that happened about once per week, she estimated.

Yaa said he called out comments about her appearance whenever they crossed paths, similar to the ones that led her to le a complaint. He seemed unaware that she was the one who reported him, so Yaa said she had to nd ways to scamper away whenever they interacted.

But Yaa said she’s done ling complaints. She said she feels jaded by how li le her circumstances have changed and the opaque process that it took to accomplish even that much.

“I’m not going to do this again,” Yaa said. “I don’t want to go through this process again.”

colereynolds2026@u.northwestern.edu jerrywu2027@u.northwestern.edu

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OPINION

Best Guess: How to keep going (even when it’s hard!)

truly impossible in the moment, but learning to relax when there’s nothing more to do is an important skill; you can’t just be absolutely wired 24/7.

Dear Reader,

I nd that most of my advice is about how to take control of situations that bother you. However, I’ve discovered that one of my blind spots is how to deal with situations that are beyond your control. Sometimes, you’ve done all you can and more, and you’re le to simply bite your nails to shreds or curl up in a ball on the oor and shriek. Or, at least, that’s what I usually do.

e fact is that giving advice on the uncontrollable is my blind spot because I really don’t know how to help — some of the most stressful parts of life involve anxiety without cause or completely justi ed anxiety that doesn’t really have a solution. Unfortunately, this happens a lot. ere will be many times when you are le pacing outside of a locked room (metaphorical or otherwise), ghting the urge to break down the door or just simply collapse. ere’s no great solution, either, except to just wait it out.

All that said, here are some things that I find helpful, to at least make the time go faster or cope in the immediate aftermath with news that you really wish you didn’t have to hear.

Feel your feelings. But don’t despair.

Post-terrible-thing, or in the midst of a situation that’s beyond you, it’s okay, and even important, to have a mini freak-out. Have a cry, have some ice cream and generally do something that makes you feel like a sitcom character that just got broken up with, which always seems to generally be a more normal and less stressful situation than whatever you’re dealing with. If I can concentrate, I read a book or watch a comforting show. It seems

Le er to the Editor NUGW members say Reinstate ASQ funding

Dear University President Michael Schill, Provost Kathleen Hagerty, Graduate School Dean Kelly Mayo, and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences Dean Adrian Randolph,

For some reason, hearing solutions om someone else suddenly makes them sound a lot more doable, and even di cult situations feel bearable when you remind yourself that someone is in your corner.

- MIKA ELLISON, assistant opinion editor

e counterpart to this advice is that it’s easy to just give it all up, walk away and generally just fall into the bo omless pit of hopelessness. ere’s not much to help once you’re already despairing, except to say that almost no situation is truly helpless, and at some point, you are going to have to get back up again and keep going — time will continue to pass, a er all.

Call someone.

I may be good at other things, but one thing I am really world-class, Olympic-level good at is spiraling on my walk home. For some reason, I can get more mental deterioration done in those 15 minutes than I normally can in a week. Luckily, I live with a whole lot of very practical, calming people, and so the world-ending doom of it all is usually brought up pre y short by walking in the door and encountering an actual rational human, and not the made-up ones in my head, all of whom are usually extremely angry at me. If you don’t have a friend handy, give someone in your

life a call. Even if they’re far away and can’t help, talking to someone who cares about you, even on the phone, helps an immeasurable amount. For some reason, hearing solutions from someone else suddenly makes them sound a lot more doable, and even di cult situations feel bearable when you remind yourself that someone is in your corner.

Keep your head and your hands busy.

Your heart might be hurting, and you might be somewhat hyperventilating, but if you have the ability to start a crossword, doing something small and distracting can prevent you from losing it. Even making small talk with someone has succeeded in taking me out of a complete breakdown, if only because my commitment to never freaking out completely in front of a stranger is stronger than my commitment to literally anything else. Kni ing and becoming weirdly obsessed with the games for kids in the dentist’s o ce (another regre ably uncontrollable situation is knowing you are going to be told that you are not ossing enough and also knowing that this situation will never change) are other great options for expending the extra energy. Sometimes, in my worst moments, I have just started memorizing poems, which can make you sound a li le unhinged, but it actually does work. And as a plus, I can recite “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” at the drop of a hat! Which I have never actually needed to do, but who knows!

To be honest, there is also probably practical stu you can do.

I’m going to go back on the entire premise of this article and say that once you have avoided the pit of despair, kept yourself busy and called someone you care about to get advice, there probably is something you can do that will help the situation. If anything, you can nd someone going through something similar and help them, now that you know what it’s like. You can (as many of us do)

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

report on the situation in the hopes it will get to someone who can do something. You can even just make yourself a nuisance in the face of terrifying odds, like the time I needed our landlord to turn on the heat and simply called him incessantly until he caved from sheer annoyance. O en, if the problem is large, people will convince you that you can’t do anything to solve it. But the truth is that doing something, however small, is maybe the best solution to xing something that you know is wrong, or even feeling be er about something you can’t control.

No ma er how well you live your life, there are bound to be moments when you feel like everything is lost.

- MIKA ELLISON, assistant opinion editor ”

No ma er how well you live your life, there are bound to be moments when you feel like everything is lost. You’ve go en a rejection in your personal or professional life, you’ve hit a dead end or you have to move (a terrible proposition even in the best of times). But the great part about it all is that because everyone has to experience it, we all know what it’s like, and most of us are willing to pick up the phone when you need it. So don’t be afraid to call or email, and here’s to hoping we can all make it to the other side.

Mika Ellison is a Medill senior. She can be contacted at mikaellison2025@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Le er to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com. e views expressed in this piece do not necessarily re ect the views of all sta members of e Daily Northwestern.

We write to you as the collective body of Northwestern University Graduate Workers to stress our dismay at NU’s unilaterally slashing of Advanced Student Quarter funding for over 100 advanced graduate students. The decision to abruptly and silently dismantle the expectation that departments and administrators will work with their advanced graduate students to secure additional sources of funding carries devastating consequences that are already coming to fruition. Countless doctoral candidates rely on these department funds to allow them to remain enrolled as full-time graduate students, promptly complete their dissertations, defend their research and enter the job market without the additional responsibilities of teaching or graduate assistantship work. More urgently, these funds guaranteed that advanced students would keep their healthcare, have access to graduate student benefits and maintain their immigration status. However, international students now face the shameful reality of being forced out of the country and are left scrambling

to secure visas or liquidate their lives in the United States. Many other advanced graduate students are left wondering how we will finish our degrees, not to mention pay our rent along with other living expenses. Forcing advanced graduate students to choose between going without income or putting their studies aside to focus on affording basic needs is shameful and regressive. How can Graduate School Dean Kelly Mayo claim that he will continue to do everything possible to support the academic success of graduate students when the University does not consider our voices even in decisions that affect our lives and work? Moreover, how can the University identify as a global leader in graduate education while graduate program funding is on a constant decline? It is appar-

email. We ask for consistent transparency regarding decisions that force graduate students to suddenly and drastically alter their lives, if not drop out entirely.

How can Graduate School Dean Kelly Mayo claim that he will continue to do everything possible to support the academic success of graduate students when the University does not consider our voices even in decisions that a ect our lives and work?

Why would an aspiring generation of graduate students and faculty put their faith in a university that regularly shi s milestones and chips away at its support structures?

ent that the University has objectively moved away from education and toward austerity. Let us be clear, the decision to curb ASQ spending will impact NU’s reputation and ability to recruit and maintain the next generation of passionate scholars, scientists and educators. As Dean Mayo affirmed in his denial of restoring ASQ, NU will abide by the bare minimum requirements as asserted in the Collective Bargaining Agreement with NUGW-UE Local 1122. In this sense, NU is shooting for a “passing grade” in their relationship with graduate students. Why would an aspiring generation of graduate students and faculty put their faith in a university that regularly shifts milestones and chips away at its support structures? What is the motivation for students to go above and beyond for the University when this gesture is not reciprocated? We are not demanding “unlimited funding” as Dean Mayo asserted in his July

The negligent timing of this decision, given mere months before international student visas are set to expire and after deadlines for other sources of funding have passed, combined with the University’s refusal to consider student input prior to curbing ASQ sends a clear message that NU believes graduate students are not partners or community members worthy of being heard. By informing advanced students that their funding options are depleted mere months before their school funding is set to expire, NU harms its reputation while throwing advanced graduate research into doubt. These cuts prevent graduate scholars from maximizing the potential impact of their scholarship and threatens their ability to secure employment in the future. The message is clear: NU is no longer willing to invest in supporting the best research from its graduate students.

Responses from the University have been predictable platitudes about “concerted efforts to bridge PhD students to completion,” while offering no solutions nor space for dialogue. President Schill wrote in a statement on Aug. 20 that he is “(looking) forward to a year of what Northwestern does best: academic pursuits, research advancements and engaging in dialogue about the world’s most pressing issues. To enable the environment where this is possible, we need to ensure every member of our community feels safe and supported.”

e message is clear: NU is no longer willing to invest in supporting the best research om its graduate students.

Unfortunately, the University continuously fails to provide a safe and supportive environment for its graduate students by refusing to ensure guaranteed funding necessary for

our academic pursuits and research advancements. We urge the administration to return to their stated mission “to support the academic success of all our graduate students” by making good-faith efforts to expand interdisciplinary graduate assistantships, establish clear timelines regarding the allocation of funding and return to the precedent of extending banked quarters. To support our efforts and join the struggle for graduate student rights, please sign our petition by going to our Instagram page (IG: nugradworkers) and visiting the link in the bio.

In Solidarity, Graduate Workers of NUGW UE Local 1122

The Daily Northwestern Volume 147, Issue 7

Editor

Opinion

Assistant

Opinion Editor Mika Ellison

Draeger-Mazer

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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.

Students find connection at election watch parties

By MAYA HEYMAN

the

daily northwestern @mayaheyman

Election night brought about many feelings for students, especially anxiety and stress.

Northwestern political clubs hosted election night watch parties across campus Tuesday night to follow the night’s results.

NU College Democrats, BridgeUSA and NU Political Union collaborated to host a watch party at the Technological Institute.

In another room in the building, NU College Republicans also hosted a watch party.

NU College Democrats co-President and Weinberg junior Clark Mahoney said events like these can make politics less intimidating for some.

“I think this casual connection to politics is really central because politics can seem big and scary to a lot of people, or just not their thing,” Mahoney said. “When it’s in this super casual manner, it does allow more types of people and a lot more people to connect with politics.”

In October, NU College Democrats invited CNN political analyst Van Jones as a guest speaker to discuss the presidential election. The club also hosted a canvassing event, busing to Wisconsin to encourage residents or hear about issues on their ballots.

The watch party broadcasted CNN election coverage on one screen while displaying live election map updates on the other screen. Organizers also provided pizzas, snacks and soda.

“It might be a tense night, or it can be a really great night,” Mahoney said. “But either way it turns out, we definitely want people to be together making connections or just having some dinner.”

Attendees said they believed that the watch party helped them make connections while learning about the election results in an inviting setting.

NU College Democrats member and Weinberg freshman Brandon Kopp said the watch party helped him reduce stress surrounding the election.

factored into his voting decision this election.

Another NU College Democrats watch party attendee, Weinberg junior Lucas Lippeatt, described this year’s election as “deeply disheartening.”

Lippeatt cited climate change, gun control, and abortion rights as the main issues that

“I think it’s fun to watch with other people,” Kopp said. “It’s definitely less anxiety-inducing watching with other people versus watching alone in my dorm.”

At the NU College Republicans watch party, organizers broadcasted results onscreen and provided pizza for attendees.

NU College Republicans President and Weinberg senior Jeanine Yuen said watch parties are important because they allow students to find like-minded individuals.

“It shows that there are people around that have similar, if not the same, viewpoints as you do,” Yuen said. “I know that is what is scary about participating in political discourse right now, because you never know, ‘Is there actually someone out there that thinks the same way I do, or what if I will be ostracized for thinking the way I do?’”

mayaheyman2028@u.northwestern.edu

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern

Northwestern political clubs hosted election night watch parties across campus Tuesday night to follow the night’s results.

Tokyo Police Club serenades Chicago one ‘Final’ time

By MAYA WONG daily senior staffer @mayaw0ng

On a 10th grade trip to Chicago, Dave Monks and his friends experienced two milestones: eating at the Rainforest Cafe and coming up with a band name, Tokyo Police Club.

Now back in the Windy City, Canadian indie rock band Tokyo Police Club performed their last Chicago show at House of Blues Sunday evening as a part of The Final Tour.

The band, which announced its amicable breakup in late January, is composed of four friends who met in high school. Vocalist and bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist Graham Wright, guitarist Josh Hook and drummer Greg Alsop founded their band while still in school in 2005.

Since then, Tokyo Police Club has garnered a healthy following, having performed at music festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury and Lollapalooza.

Prior to Tokyo Police Club’s performance,

Canadian musician Menno Versteeg of the indie rock group Hollerado serenaded an audience of around 1,800 people with an acoustic guitar session. His tongue-in-cheek personal anecdotes and diaristic writing proved entertaining.

A standout song was an unreleased “dyslexic song” for Versteeg’s mother, who is dyslexic. With letters swapped within phrases, the track was lighthearted and instantly brightened attendees’ moods.

“The New York Times crossword can suck it,” Versteeg said to the crowd.

When Tokyo Police Club arrived 45 minutes after Versteeg onto a stage full of LED lights, the intimate crowd’s energy was palpable. The band kickstarted its set with “Favourite Food” and “Favourite Colour” off their 2010 album “Champ.”

Strobing lights and a strong bass highlighted the band’s lively music. Monks sang passionately as Wright danced impressionistically. During “Tessellate,” a percussion-heavy track, Wright and Hook tossed tambourines across the stage to each other, adding a playful visual flair.

At one point, Wright described Tokyo Police

Club’s Lollapalooza set in 2007, where the group’s van lost a wheel on the way to the festival, delaying their trip. Although the wheel fell off the van, Wright said it did not fall off “the metaphorical van that was the tour.” The show went on as the band arrived with minutes to spare. It proceeded to perform on Lollapalooza’s main stage to what Wright said was the group’s largest crowd to date.

“Chicago has always welcomed us and blessed us, and even though sparks flew from our busted a-- sh--ty van, the show still went great,” Wright said.

Halfway through the show, Monks performed a mellow acoustic set of “The Harrowing Adventures Of…” and “Ready to Win,” the latter of which was undoubtedly the concert’s highlight. Written by Monks after celebrating his 30th birthday, the song is a poignant commentary on failing and “f---ing up” in various aspects in life, but being ready to prevail.

Although “Ready to Win” starts out as pessimistic and regretful, it turns in its third verse to shine a brighter light — asking listeners to tell their neighbors they’re splendid. Monks’

lyrics rang clear, sending a burst of compassion to attendees.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the concert was the crowd. Mainly composed of millennial men, it was wholesome to see these fans engage with one of their favorite bands one last time. There was no shortage of dancing — big groovy moves, for that matter. The ground felt like it pulsed the entire night. Despite it being Tokyo Police Club’s final show in Chicago, the House of Blues emitted a sense of joy. It seemed that although the band was breaking up, there was hope for each individual musician’s futures. When Monks asked everyone to wave goodbye before Tokyo Police Club’s encore, the departure was truly bittersweet.

“We got to make the music that was in our hearts for 20 years and have an audience that would listen to our records, come to our shows,” Monks said. “We got to have an experience that not every band gets to have, and we feel very lucky for that.”

mayawong2027@u.northwestern.edu

Northwestern a cappella groups prepare for year ahead

co-President Oliver Tam said.

It’s not uncommon to hear the rumor that the musical comedy film “Pitch Perfect” was inspired by Northwestern’s own a cappella scene from tour guides and a cappella groups.

“The tagline for Northwestern a cappella is that we are the school that ‘Pitch Perfect’ is based off of,” said Communication senior Gavin Shaub, the co-president of Asterik, NU’s all-male a cappella group.

Asterik is one of the a cappella groups on campus gearing up for the school year. Shaub said the group specializes in singing tenor, baritone and bass parts.

The group practices three hours a week and spends time with one another outside of practices, Shaub said. Through this, the group hopes to foster community between their members.

“Just by the nature of (Asterik) being all male, we do provide that healthy male space that I think is really needed for identifying people,” Communication junior and Asterik

This year, the group will perform at Acapalooza, an a cappella performance during Family Weekend that will raise money for NU Dance Marathon’s beneficiaries. In addition to their quarterly concerts, they also plan to go on tour to Montreal.

X-Factors, one of NU’s co-ed a cappella groups, plans to go on tour to New Orleans in the winter.

The group is known for wearing pink at their concerts.

“X-Factors is an a cappella group, or an allgender pink a cappella group, so we just like to wear pink,” Communication sophomore and X-Factors President Lucie Saint-Denis said. “We’re just like a group of friends who love each other and love to sing.”

The group is also the only a cappella group on campus that guarantees each of its members a solo, Saint-Denis said.

Extreme Measures, another co-ed a cappella group, plans on hosting shows during the academic quarters. They also plan on performing in an East Coast city during Spring Break, SESP senior and Extreme Measures co-President

Valerie Lippin said.

The group rehearses six hours a week to have successful performances, Lippin said.

“We work really hard to write performance arrangements for our friends and family that come to shows,” Lippin said. “We hope to go into those shows confident and well-prepared and want the audience to enjoy what they’re hearing.”

Brown Sugar is also a co-ed a cappella group. They are NU’s premier South Asian interest a cappella group, aiming to showcase South Asian culture at NU.

The group also aims to foster diversity, McCormick junior and Brown Sugar President Rohan Sohini said.

“We are not limited just to South Asian people,” Sohini said. “We try to create a diverse set of people, but it’s more so sharing the culture amongst ourselves, especially with music.”

Sohini said the group is preparing for one of their larger shows, which occurs during Winter Quarter.

Treblemakers, another identity-based a cappella group at NU, specializes in East Asian

interest music.

This year, the group will travel to Singapore for a tour, Communication senior and Treblemakers music director Sofi Pascua said.

In Singapore, they plan on pairing with other collegiate a cappella groups and doing workshops with high school students.

The group performs throughout the year, ending each quarter with a show. Through these shows, the group hopes to embrace their identity.

“We really try to celebrate that we are East Asian and bring out our identities,” Pascua said. “In the performing arts especially, East Asian populations are a lot less represented. It’s really important to us that people see us out there.”

As a competing a cappella group, Pascua said that “Pitch Perfect” is an accurate representation of the a cappella group experience.

“It’s not too far off in terms of what it looks like to prepare for an a cappella competition and what it looks like to perform at an a cappella competition,” she said.

diyaraj2028@u.northwestern.edu

Desiree Luo/The Daily Northwestern

Q&A: Biting into the beef that inspired ‘The Bear’

By MAYA WONG daily senior staffer @mayaw0ng

Foodies and TV show enthusiasts alike have most likely heard of Hulu comedy-drama series “The Bear.” Starring Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri, the show follows a renowned chef as he returns home to run his family’s Italian beef restaurant.

Producer Christopher Storer was inspired to create the series based on his childhood friend Chris Zucchero’s family restaurant, Mr. Beef. “The Bear’s” pilot episode was filmed inside the restaurant.

Owner Zucchero grew up helping his father at Mr. Beef: first wiping down tables and handing out sodas, then learning how to slice beef and build sandwiches in his teens.

After becoming a co-owner in his mid-twenties, Zucchero has spent most days dishing up some of Chicago’s most popular Italian beef sandwiches. Some of Zucchero’s side gigs include catering to Hollywood actors and making a cameo on “The Bear.”

The Daily spoke to Zucchero to discuss Mr. Beef and the fame the small Italian beef stand has garnered with the advent of “The Bear.”

This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

The Daily: Can you tell me about the history of Mr. Beef?

Zucchero: It started in 1979 by Joseph Zucchero, my father and his brother, Dominic Zucchero.

There was a big Chicago magazine Italian beef article, and that kind of was the first article to really talk about Italian beef. It became a big thing in the city of Chicago, it was like the city finally recognized their sandwich or their root food. Since then, it’s been my father and my uncle and a group of employees over the years that would end up pretty much training me and teaching me everything over the next 42 years.

The history — my life really — is this: it’s going in there every day and slicing beef and slicing bread and making sandwiches and this and that, and then having strange occurrences, like “The Bear” or Jay Leno or all these other things that helped us along the way to get us to where we’re at. So it’s been an interesting ride of Italian beef, and then being in these huge media blitzes in the middle of it.

The Daily: Having grown up in the middle of it all, what does Chicago food culture mean to you?

Zucchero: It means actually sh– to me. If we’re going to talk about the restaurants that have been around for 40 years plus, it means the world to me – to be able to go into a place like Jimmy’s Red Hots or Superdawg, which is one of my favorite establishments in the entire universe. I’m not a big fan of the newer Chicago food industry.

The Daily: What’s so special about Italian beef?

Zucchero: There’s really four things that have to work for your sandwich to work. There has to be the right kind of bread, the meat has to be cooked and sliced the right kind of way. You need the right kind of sweet pepper. And then, last but not least, you

need the right kind of giardiniera. My dad wanted everybody to enjoy the whole sandwich. He wanted you to enjoy the meat. He wanted you to enjoy the juice and the meat. He wanted it not to burn your mouth. He wanted it all to come together.

The Daily: Where does Mr. Beef fit into the Chicago food scene?

Zucchero: The universe has positioned us into several different situations where we’ve been able to bring Italian beef, not to just local Chicago, but what seems like the world by strange relationships with people who are somehow including us in their shed.

In the mid-1990s, my father had a relationship with him for quite some time before this, but Jay Leno, who was once the main-staying talk show host, brought Mr. Beef with him in a weird way. He talked about us when he came back to Chicago to do a week’s worth of shows in Chicago. We were on camera every day. So that catapulted us into this weird stratosphere.

We’re really not a local thing, and we never have been. I’ve never felt a very big camaraderie with the city. I’ve been very lucky because a lot of my customers have been people from all over the world. mayawong2027@u.northwestern.edu

VC 2 premieres ‘You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown’

By SYDNEY GAW the daily northwestern

Vibrant Colors Collective premiered its retelling of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” at Shanley Pavilion Friday for a two-day run.

VC2’s annual fall retelling slot exists to transform a well-known show that originally features a predominantly white cast into one that highlights people of

color, Director and Communication junior Kate Horton said.

In this year’s production, Horton said she aimed to capture experiences with change and transition, which also reflect how new students acclimate to Northwestern each fall.

“Our production specifically focuses on (growing up) from the lens of being a person of color, both in terms of childhood and learning how to navigate friendship and mental health and transition,” Horton said.

“You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” is a series of vignettes and musical numbers that explore how Charles M. Schulz’s Peanuts characters navigate the challenges of growing up. From dealing with the stress of a school assignment to confronting low self-esteem, the show delves into the complexities of childhood relationships and identity. The two-act musical featured 18 songs and 20 scenes written by Clark Gesner.

Horton said she wanted to explore how mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, impact how young people navigate periods of transition.

She added that it was important for each cast member to bring their life experiences and identities to the production to make the original characters more nuanced.

“What’s so wonderful about this show is that it balances joy and community with the aspects of feeling alone and feeling depressed,” Horton said. “It’s a very colorful, vibrant show that also makes you think and that makes you feel for the characters.”

Horton said one of her main goals as the director was to make sure that audience members could see their identities reflected on stage. One of her creative changes to the show included adding an ensemble cast to expand the production’s range of representation.

When approaching the casting process, Horton said she aimed to feature actors of color with varying skin tones, body types and abilities.

She first saw the musical performed a decade ago at her predominantly white elementary school. Horton said she wanted to retell the classic story in a way that highlighted the cast’s racial and ethnic diversity, while portraying universally relatable themes.

Communication sophomore Tiger Lee, who plays Woodstock, said they found the show’s focus on interpersonal relationships and community to be central to

VC2’s mission in highlighting people of color.

“It’s just a bunch of small, cute little stories of people and just a window into their life, which I think is beautiful,” Lee said.

They added that because most shows at NU highlight themes of oppression with people of color, this showing is different because the show isn’t “centered around our struggle.”

As a member of the ensemble cast, Lee said a key aspect of the production was its portrayal of community on and off stage. She added that the show was reflective of many college experiences, which added to the universal appeal of its scenes.

Communication sophomore Audrey Sy, who plays Lucy Van Pelt, said she enjoyed creating her own version of the character. Having grown up in the Philippines, Sy said the production was especially important to her in normalizing diversity through the everyday problems and experiences the Peanuts characters face.

“I always feel like when (people of color) actors are highlighted, it’s this grandiose thing,” Sy said. “I love that (Horton) chose to do it in a show that really highlights the pedestrian and mundane.”

Sy’s older sister, Alexa Sy, visited from Brooklyn, New York, to see her younger sister perform for the first time. She said she was impressed not only by the show’s choreography and professionalism but also by the fact that the production was entirely student-run.

Over the course of the show’s run, Horton said the production received overwhelmingly positive feedback from audience members.

“I think a lot of things that these 5, 6, 7, 8-year-olds are dealing with and thinking about and figuring out are still things that we as 18, 19, 20-year-olds are also navigating,” Horton said.

sydneygaw2027@u.northwestern.edu

‘DOGS’ links hot dog eating with competition for success

By ALICE

‘DOGS,’ a raw, high-tension play focusing on the lengths women will go for success and the consequences that follow, premiered at The Edge Off Broadway Friday. Written by Chicago-based playwright Hanna Kime and directed by freelance director and producer Becca Holloway, the show will run until Nov. 24 on Wednesdays through Sundays.

The play begins with hot dog eating contestants taking their place behind a row of tables labeled with name tags and scoreboards. As the competition begins, they stuff imaginary hot dogs down their throats, urged on by the cheering audience and aggressive host (Julian “Joolz” Stroop).

The leads include N. Bell (Elisabeth Del Toro), the contest’s long-time winner and golden child with a believe-in-yourself, follow-your-heart persona. Her

bitter predecessor is V. Davis (Stephanie Shum), who struggles with severe bodily pain inflicted by years of over-consumption. P. Long (Isabella Moran del Cueto) is a rookie, navigating her way through cutthroat, destructive competition.

T. Peck (Allyce Torres) and C. Martin (Tatiana Pavela) are weathered veterans of the sport who lose every year but are unable to escape the hot dog-eating obsession.

The womens’ ambitions are unparalleled, curated by years of sacrifice and practice. But their efforts are riddled by self doubt from sexist assertions that convince them of their incompetence.

Kime’s hilariously relatable writing explores the contestants’ individual stories while eliciting constant laughter from the audience with ridiculous episodes.

In one scene, Bell vomits her scarily-realistic hot dog remains, exposing her struggle to maintain her title amidst the pressure to succeed. In another, Davis dresses as a sexy orange-red hot dog worshiped by the cast, which is dressed as meat-producing cows, pigs and chickens.

Meanwhile, the host’s comments and questions become increasingly invasive, representing the menacing whisper of capitalism, sexism and self-destructing ambition. Their congratulatory notes to Bell include phrases like “I’ve never seen a crowd this fired up for a womens’ contest,” and “Really, you can place in the mens’ contest.”

The play also comes to life with captivating performances from the cast, particularly from Del Toro, Moran del Cueto and Stroop. The lightning-speed shifts in tone, energy and varying expressions of ecstasy — then deep despair — keep the audience entertained and engaged. The contest builds up to its climax, where the top contestants have eaten more than 40 hot dogs each. Then, the lights turn red, the cast’s choreography syncs dramatically and the contestants shout “DOGS” as they cram hot dogs down their throats.

Suddenly, Bell slows down. The audience is left on its toes as it wonders what she will do, and how her competitors will respond.

aliceoh2027@u.northwestern.edu

Assistant

Design

Editors Paloma Leone-Getten Danny O’Grady

Sydney Gaw/The Daily Northwestern

The cast of “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” performs the closing number.

Illustration by Maya Wong

well, and how that seemed to be a really crazy thing that happened at the Capitol.”

Onema said he feels the unrest could repeat itself.

Statistics and data science masters student Spencer Alvey said he is concerned Trump’s plan to add tariffs on foreign goods will hurt consumers. Alvey said one of his other major concerns is Trump repealing the Affordable Care Act, which allows children to remain on their parents’ health insurance until they turn 26.

“I have hearing issues and I rely on my parents’ health insurance,” Alvey said. “If I ever want to get constructive surgery in the next three years — I’m 23 — then I will be screwed without health insurance because I’d lose my parents’ health insurance for it.”

SESP sophomore Kris Yun said she is concerned about the widespread claims of election fraud and stolen elections by conservative politicians.

Many Republicans still claim, without

Democrats win seats on Water Reclamation District Commission

All four Democrats are projected to win their respective seats for Cook County Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Commissioner.

Kari K. Steele, Marcelino Garcia and Sharon Waller received 24%, 22.1% and 21.8% of the votes for the three open six-year-term seats, respectively. The general election MWRD race was called with 91.9% of votes tallied by The Associated Press.

Current Water Reclamation District Commissioner Precious Brady-Davis won the special general election for an unexpired two-year term, receiving 67.8% of votes tallied. The special election race was called at about 8:30 p.m. by The Associated Press.

The nine commissioners of the MWRD protect local waterways and manage wastewater and drinking water projects in the Greater Chicago area. Their policy aims to respond to the effects of climate change.

The Daily Northwestern

evidence, that the 2020 election results were illegitimate, Yun said. Due to these claims, she said she hopes Harris wins with a clean sweep to help prevent these claims.

“If (the election) is so close, people are going to constantly doubt the government,” Yun said. “I wonder how that will affect us long term because of the fact that many Republicans feel like the government is not on their side and that there is a sense of insecurity.”

Yun said voting helped alleviate some of her anxiety, but waiting for the election results has caused her to be stressed.

As a woman, she said she is concerned with how the election will affect accessibility to reproductive healthcare.

“I think after Roe v. Wade was overturned, that was when politics became really real for me and I think that’s actually a very universal sentiment across a lot of women,” Yun said. “(Women) have to take ownership and make our voice heard when it comes to ensuring that our rights are protected.”

ninethkanieskikoso2027@u.northwestern.edu

Steele, Garcia and Brady-Davis are all incumbents.

Steele assumed office in 2012 and is currently president of the Board of Commissioners. She ran on her experience as a chemist as well as her time on the Public Building Commission. Garcia assumed office in 2019 and advocates for communities of color, according to his candidate questionnaire with WTTW. Brady-Davis was appointed to the commission in 2023 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker to fill a vacant seat on the board. She was the first trans Black woman on the Cook County ballot when she initially ran in the 2022 Democratic primary for commissioner.

Waller, the current president of the River Park Advisory Council, also initially ran in the 2022 Democratic primary. She may be the first-ever water engineer on the board.

Republican candidate R. Cary Capparelli, who is projected to lose the special election, also ran in the 2022 general election.

— Sophie Baker and Shreya Srinivasan

WEEKLY CROSSWORD

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern People discuss politics at the NU College Republicans election watch party on Tuesday night.

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern

Some students expressed anxiety about the results of the presidential election.

Shun Graves/The Daily Northwestern

Olympic swimmer Gerchik gears up for NU season

By KAMRAN NIA the daily northwestern @kamran_nia

When David Gerchik began his Northwestern swimming career in 2023, he was quiet. Despite Gerchik’s production in the pool, coach Rachel Stratton-Mills said she wanted him to communicate more.

“You did not know how he was doing because he kept to himself and was so quiet, but he always got in and did the work,” Stratton-Mills said. “As a coach, you say, OK, he’s doing a nice job, but as a program, we want to make sure that the individual feels like they are getting what they need and are thriving in all areas.”

Now, after competing at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games with Team Israel and entering his sophomore year, Gerchik is more vocal. The 23-year-old appears primed to take the next step with the Wildcats.

The environment at the Olympics was unlike anything Gerchik said he had ever experienced, with packed stands and roaring fans. However, he dealt with the pressure en route to a third-place finish in Heat 1 of the 200-meter backstroke.

While the time did not qualify him for the semifinals, Gerchik said he gained a lot from the Olympic experience. tion I had com-

Village, but he was “impressed” by the setup.

“Once I got there, I was like, ‘I can’t believe I’m in the Olympics,’” Gerchik said. “It looked so surreal. The Olympic Village was so cool and big, and seeing all those elite athletes walking around was just an experience I can’t explain.”

Gerchik was excited, especially after seeing USA Gymnastics star Simone Biles at a bus station. But after a few days, he focused on the task at hand: his race. He worked with his coach to sharpen ahead of the event but was worried about the pressure.

He said he tried to avoid thinking about his event until the day of the competition and worked with a sports psychologist to mentally prepare.

Gerchik is from Haifa, Israel. He said it was special to represent his home country on one of sports’ largest stages. But he said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East “made the occasion more important” to him.

“It was very hard for us to be here in the United States when all those things were going on back at home and to know how safe our families will be,” Gerchik said. “We felt a responsibility to represent our country, show that we are strong … That no matter how much hatred we get, we will always rise

“How you disconnect once you start swimming from the outside world. I like the feeling of the water. I like how it lifts my body and challenges many aspects in my movement. I

have to adapt to that feeling.”

Olympics was the European Championships, which react to competing in this environment.”

Welsh-Ryan Arena

he was 4 years old, by age 10.

water early on, but as he progressed, he

“I like the quiet of the water,” Gerchik said.

late February.

by learning the importance of mental health

and working with a sports psychologist.

“Now I feel like I have a better handle on how he is on a day-to-day basis,” Stratton-Mills said. “Also, I think he is far more comfortable and is a little more talkative and out of his shell a little more.”

In the pool, Stratton-Mills said Gerchik is working on timing his turns and underwater dolphin kicks. He is also exploring sprint freestyle events, so he does not exclusively focus on backstroke.

Stratton-Mills also said he has bought into the team aspect of college swimming more than in the 2023-24 season when the Olympics were his main focus.

“I see him a lot more invested into his other teammate’s success, as well as his own, and wanting to see this team go in this direction we’re all excited for,” Stratton-Mills said. “He’s able to do that a lot more this year.”

When Gerchik has down days in the pool, he tries to remember the doors swimming opened for him. He also thinks about his goals.

“I always keep it at the back of my mind that that’s the sport I chose,” Gerchik said. “I am really good at it, and it has brought me so many good things in my life. It gave me the opportunity to study in the United States. It got me the friends I have today and many things for which I’m grateful.”

kamrannia2027@u.northwestern.edu

NU trounces Penn State in nal match

By JAKE EPSTEIN gameday editor @jakepste1n

As Northwestern stepped onto the pitch for its regular season nale against Penn State on Sunday, an eerie backdrop greeted coach Russell Payne’s squad at Martin Stadium.

e temporary facility’s two video boards were dismantled with the conclusion of the football season’s 2024 lakeside slate. Le in their wake, a ragged purple tarp swayed in the crisp November wind, encapsulating a once promising soccer season’s untimely turn.

Payne’s program — which experienced its rstever 4-0 start in non conference play — was eliminated from Big Ten tournament contention with a 6-1 defeat at No. 16 Indiana on Tuesday. e team’s hopes of a rst NCAA tournament appearance since 2014 appear slim, with an at-large bid its only hope of extending the season.

“We didn’t help ourselves earlier in the season, and it caught up with us,” Payne said. “All you can do is learn from that. I still think this is a championship level team, and it’s up to me, the sta and the returning guys to get us here next year.”

But ve days a er a ve-goal drubbing torpedoed the Wildcats’ (9-7-1, 3-6-1 Big Ten) conference tournament hopes, they turned in their most dominant performance this season and dismantled the Ni any Lions (5-9-2, 2-6-2 Big Ten) 4-1.

Redshirt senior forward Akinjide Awujo scored his rst career hat trick in the victory. His performance marked the lone three-goal output from any scorer in Big Ten play this season.

“I think you nally saw why we brought Jide here,” Payne said with a chuckle. “ at was the performance

that he and all of us knew he was capable of, so I’m happy he went o on a strong note with that.”

A player who missed his entire 2023 season at Villanova due to a preseason knee injury, Awujo failed to nd the scoresheet in his rst 10 games at NU. With his Sunday scoring frenzy, Awujo capped the regular season as the ’Cats’ leading marksman with ve goals.

Awujo said the team’s goalscoring success took root on the training ground.

“We just had our creative juices owing,” Awujo said. “We weren’t afraid to make mistakes. I feel like a lot of times when pressure isn’t really there anymore, that’s when you play your best games. We showed that today.”

NU opened the scoring in the match’s 15th minute when graduate student defender Brandon Clage e whipped in a cross toward senior mid elder Paul Son. Separating from his defender on the back post, Son headed home his rst goal since Aug. 22’s season opener against Green Bay.

Payne, who took over at the program’s helm when Son joined the team as a freshman in 2021, said he was thrilled to see Son make a signi cant impact in his potential nal collegiate action.

“He was pre y much injured the rst two years he was here,” Payne said. “ is was his best ever season and his healthiest season. He deserved it.”

Son’s sensational swan song continued as the game approached the half-hour mark. e senior played Awujo on a squared set-up, and the forward doubled the hosts’ lead.

For Son, a goal and an assist marked a dream sendo to a college career that began four years ago in Martin Stadium.

“All the memories are just owing in, making me a bit emotional,” Son said, tearing up. “I’ve had injuries. I’ve had seasons where I just had low con dence and

wasn’t playing my game. To end on a higher note, where I’m a bit more healthy, playing more of my game, means the world to me.”

In the 60th minute, Awujo bagged his brace with an outside-the-box e ort o freshman defender Luke Shreiner’s feed. While Penn State mid elder Malick Daouda cut into the ’Cats’ lead with a long-range e ort 13 minutes later, Awujo needed just 52 seconds to respond and secure his hat trick.

Payne made a urry of substitutions in the ensuing minutes, including graduate student center back and captain Reese Mayer, who shared a sideline embrace with Payne at the potential bookend of his six-year collegiate career.

An emotional whirlwind struck NU once the nal whistle sounded, with hugs, tears and a sense of nality se ing in upon Payne’s extended postgame address.

“I wanted to send them o with even be er,” Payne said. “ ey’re responsible for the send-o . I told them in the locker room today, ‘I just want to be inspired by you guys. is is your game today. is is all about you.’”

e ’Cats secured their rst back-to-back winning records since 2013 and 2014 with the victory, a gure Payne deemed a sign the program is building something special.

Payne added that every team that lines up against NU now knows it’s facing a stern challenge, which he deemed a testament to his departing veterans. “ ey’ve helped us establish what you’re seeing now, which is a team capable of winning anything,” Payne said. at wasn’t the case four years ago. But I think every team we play against knows that we’re contenders, and now we have to keep building on it.” jacobepstein2026@u.northwestern.edu

team was not allowed to leave the Olympic

50-yard

Photos courtesy to Northwestern Athletics