The Daily Northwestern Tuesday, November 12, 2019
DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM 8 SPORTS/Field Hockey
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Wildcats make NCAA Tournament
Dino Robinson speaks at Northwestern about town-gown relations
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What NU won’t say about sexual assault
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Weinberg College dean on 2020 vision Dean Randolph to focus on science and culture By AMY LI
daily senior staffer
Noah Frick-Alofs/Daily senior staffer
Ald. Eleanor Revelle (7th) at City Council. Revelle said she didn’t believe Northwestern has met the standards necessary to hold for-profit events.
City to let NU host pro events
Northwestern will be able to hold for-profit events at Welsh-Ryan By SAM HELLER
the daily northwestern @samheller5
Northwestern will now be allowed to host professional sporting events and for-profit concerts at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The controversial text amendment passed 5-4 at Monday’s City Council meeting, while dozens of community members filled
the chamber asking the members to vote no. This amendment to the U2 zoning district allows for six single-day events and one multi-day event, not to exceed seven days, with a capacity of 7,000 people. The pilot will last for two years, expiring in 2021. Previously, Northwestern could hold seven multi-day non-profit events in Welsh-Ryan under the law. When the text amendment
passed for introduction two weeks ago, many residents took issue with how the new law would negatively affect their home values, local businesses and parking availability. On Monday, around 30 residents said Northwestern had not met the “burden of proof ” in the rules and standards that it will not harm the surrounding community. “The relevant currency here is whether the zoning amendment
meets Evanston’s standards and whether the application has met its burden of proof,” resident Ken Proskie said. In order to change the zoning amendment, Northwestern must prove that the proposal will not alter the character of the neighborhood. The arena must also have no adverse effect on adjacent properties. » See WELSH-RYAN, page 6
Entering the next decade, the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences will focus on expanding its curricula and research in three main areas — the impact of data science in the world, the global intersectionality of identity and culture and how the natural sciences can transform the world, Weinberg Dean Adrian Randolph said. In an interview with The Daily, Randolph, who was reappointed for a second five-year term as the Dean beginning on Sept. 1 of next year, said Weinberg has focused on data, culture and nature over his past five years as Dean. These three areas will remain an important part of Weinberg’s strategic plan moving forward. “Data, culture and nature are key in our strategy,” Randolph said. “Those are the things that continue to drive me, be beacons as we continue in the next few years.” Randolph said the college has put considerable energy into analyzing data across the social sciences, the natural sciences and the humanities, part of which resulted in the recent
introduction of the data science minor. During a time in which “most faculty are seeing themselves operating in an interdisciplinary space,” Randolph said Weinberg has also focused on the global intersectionality of culture, including interactions between religion, ethnic, and racial studies. Randolph hopes Weinberg will continue to make breakthroughs in how humans can solve global issues through the natural sciences. “In this moment where humans can transform the world through science, how do we reflect on the way we use that power?” Randolph said. “Whether it’s global climate change, or whether its editing the human genome.” Given these focuses, the college faces “the constant challenge” of ensuring that faculty have enough support in their academic fields and that students are free to pursue a curriculum that interests them, Randolph said. Moving forward, Randolph said making a Northwestern education both financially and cultural accessible for students is also a priority. Randolph said in terms of financial accessibility, he has focused on raising money for student scholarships and support for undergraduates who want to do research with college faculty. » See WEINBERG, page 6
NU extends tuition Library hosts reading on being trans Author Kyle Lukoff shares children’s book about transgender boy benefits for staff Employee Portable Tuition Plan timeline extended By TROY CLOSSON
daily senior staffer @troy_closson
Northwestern’s Employee Portable Tuition Plan — which pays benefits for employees toward the cost of tuition and fees for courses at other universities — will now no longer be capped $5,250 for current faculty and staff until January 1, 2021. The plan will still be eliminated for anyone with a hire date after January 1, 2020. Craig Johnson, senior vice president for business and finance, emailed Northwestern community members last month about the change in plans. “In response to concerns expressed by some employees, we have continued to evaluate the effective date for capping employee portable tuition at the annual $5,250 tax-free limit,” Johnson’s email said. “We hope that this new approach addresses
core concerns.” The Employee Portable Tuition Plan allows employees who completed “one year of fulltime, benefits-eligible service prior to the beginning of the term” to receive benefits toward undergraduate and graduate jobrelated courses at schools other than Northwestern. Johnson initially notified employees currently enrolled in a degree program outside of Northwestern in September that the change in cap was scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2020. “Over the last several years, the University has experienced increased costs that necessitates specific changes to benefit plans and will impact the educational assistance program,” his first email said. University President Morton Schapiro told The Daily in an October interview that after two years of operating in a multimillion dollar deficit, the University ended fiscal year 2019 several million dollars in surplus, though the email doesn’t name that as a reason for the change. troyclosson2020@u.northwestern.edu
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
By RAYNA SONG
the daily northwestern
Kyle Lukoff, author of several picture books about transgender identity, read to a group of children at Evanston Public Library Monday evening. Lukoff read three stories he wrote, as well as a story from author Mac Barnett to the group of nine children. In one of his most popular books “When Aidan Became a Brother,” Lukoff combined the themes of realizing transgender identity and having a newborn sibling. “When Aidan Became a Brother” follows the story of Aidan, starting with when Aidan was born and when everyone thought that he was a girl. However, he soon realized that he was different from the other girls, and Aidan’s family adjusted, including buying him new clothes, so that he could be more comfortable and have a new life. When his parents told him that they
Evan Robinson-Johnson/ Daily Senior Staffer
Kyle Lukoff reads to children at Evanston Public Library. One of Lukoff’s stories, “When Aidan Became a Brother,” explores transgender identity and the feeling of having a new sibling.
were going to have a baby, Aidan wanted to make sure that everything was right for his sibling.
After the event, Lukoff explained his intentions behind this book. “I want trans kids to be
able to see themselves, I want kids who aren’t trans to » See AUTHOR, page 6
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