sports Men’s Basketball Cats look to upset Badgers » PAGE 8
New shuttle tracker debuts online, on apps » PAGE 3
opinion Mian Don’t worry, be happy in winter » PAGE 4
High 20 Low 15
The Daily Northwestern DAILYNORTHWESTERN.COM
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Find us online @thedailynu
Football players ask for unionization By Alex Putterman
daily senior staffer @AlexPutt02
Senior quarterback Kain Colter is heading a group of Northwestern players seeking to be represented by a labor union, he announced at a news conference Tuesday morning. The effort, the first in history by college athletes, is backed by the National College Players Association and the United This will be the Steelworkers union. NCPA first domino president Ramogi Huma to fall. And it filed a petition will be a big to the National Labor Reladomino. tions Board on Ramogi Huma, behalf of the National NU team. College Players “It’s almost Association like a dictatorpresident ship,” Colter said of the NCAA. “We want someone who is going to be looking out for us.” Huma and Colter said an “overwhelming majority” of Wildcats players voted to sign union cards, thus asking for unionization. Thirty percent of the members of a given group must sign cards in order for the NLRB to consider their request. At the news conference Tuesday, Colter read a statement from NU’s players, explaining the group’s motivation for the historic action. “We Northwestern football players
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are grateful for our opportunity to play football for a prestigious university and athletic program,” the team’s statement said. “However, just as other athletes who compete in multibillion dollar industries have done, we must secure and maintain comprehensive protections, but asserting the rights afforded to us under labor laws.” The unionization effort began last spring when Colter reached out to Huma for help gaining representation in attempting to improve conditions in which they play college sports. Colter publicly expressed his allegiance with Huma and the NCPA in September when the quarterback wore black wristbands with the letters “APU” — standing for “All Players United” — during NU’s Sept. 21 game against Maine. If certified, the entity representing the players would be called the College Athletes Players Association. The organization was created by Huma, Colter and former University of Massachusetts basketball player Luke Bonner. At first, CAPA would represent only FBS football and Division I basketball players at private universities, as public institutions are governed by separate state labor laws. Huma said revenue sports presented the “strongest argument” for increased rights for players. Huma said he hopes to eventually expand CAPA’s representation to all college athletes. “This will be the first domino to fall,” he said. “And it will be a big domino.” Huma said CAPA will initially push for improved concussion and medical protection, guaranteed scholarships and additional money to cover college attendance expenses.
Rohan Nadkarni/Daily Senior Staffer
‘ASSERTING THE RIGHTS AFFORDED TO US’ From left, former UCLA linebacker and National Collegiate Players Association founder Ramogi Huma, United Steelworkers political director Tim Waters, Northwestern senior quarterback Kain Colter and United Steelworkers president Leo Gerard. The four men held a news conference Tuesday to announce NU’s football players will be seeking to be certified as a union.
If the union is approved by the NLRB, members would be classified as “employees” of the university and receive benefits as such, including the ability to bargain collectively. CAPA and United Steelworkers allege football and basketball
players already essentially are university employees, given the amount of time they commit to athletics, the amount of money they bring in to schools and the fact that they are paid in the form of scholarship money.
Colter, Huma, and spokespersons from United Steelworkers used the term “college-athletes” in place of the usual “student-athletes,” because they believe » See CAPA, page 7
NU reacts to Obama’s address Sexual assault task force draws praise By edward cox
daily senior staffer @EdwardCox16
President Barack Obama delivered his sixth State of the Union address on Tuesday before a divided Congress ahead of November’s midterm elections. About 20 members of College Democrats gathered inside the McCormick Tribune Center to watch the address. Throughout the speech, the president asserted his power to carry out executive orders in front of Congress. The president’s commitment to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 an hour drew cheers from some members of the group. He said women were hurt by “stagnant” wages because women earn less, on average, than men do. “To every mayor, governor and state legislator in America, I say, you don’t have » See ADDRESS, page 6
By ally mutnick
daily senior staffer @allymutnick
Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
sixth time’s a charm Northwestern students watch President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night. College Democrats held a viewing party in the McCormick Tribune Center.
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
Northwestern administrators praised the continued national attention on sexual violence prevention spurred by President Barack Obama’s creation of a task force to address sexual assault on college campuses. Obama addressed the high prevalence of sexual assault at universities in an address last week. He announced the creation of a task force, which includes members of the president’s cabinet, to research and decide the best practices for tackling campus sexual violence. The creation of the a task force is timely for NU. The University released earlier this month an updated policy on sexual
assault, which offers an expanded list of what constitutes sexual violence and a more detailed definition of consent. Additionally, a sexual assault was reported by a female student on North Campus this month, Daniel McAleer, the deputy chief for University Police, told The Daily on Monday. When the federal government prioritizes sexual assault response and prevention, it can spur more funding and stronger buy-in from students and university leadership, said Laura Stuart, coordinator for sexual health education and violence prevention at the Center for Awareness, Response and Education. “The direction that the president of the university takes impacts everyone,” Stuart said. “It’s such a huge help to have » See task force, page 6
INSIDE Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8
2 NEWS | the daily northwestern wednesday, january 29, 2014
Around Town
“
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Evanston’s pretty aggressive and ... has had a long-standing recycling and waste management program. We have a lot of really great programs in place already.
— Sustainable Programs Coordinator Catherine Hurley
The Daily Northwestern
National News Lawmakers worry about sex trafficking at Super Bowl
WASHINGTON — In a chamber at standingroom-only capacity, with photographs of young victims flashing from TV screens, a House of Representatives panel held a hearing Monday to raise awareness about human trafficking. Of immediate concern among the legislators is this Sunday’s Super Bowl, an event that is thought to heighten the demand for forced prostitution. “We know that from the past, any sports venue — especially the Super Bowl — acts as a sex-trafficking magnet,” said Rep. Christopher H. Smith, R-N.J.,
Cook County passes new waste and recycling ordinance Page 6
www.dailynorthwestern.com chairman of the House subcommittee on Africa, global health, global human rights and international organizations. The Super Bowl, America’s most-watched sporting event and one that cities across the nation compete to host, has increasingly faced scrutiny as a draw for human trafficking and forced sex labor. Although no definitive figures exist, advocates argue that the large influx of men and the party atmosphere that surrounds the event make it a hot spot for individuals who exploit women and children. “Major sporting events like the Super Bowl create a unique surge in demand for sex services,” Carol
Smolenski told the panel, stating that 100,000 children across the country are victims of forced sexual labor. Smolenski, executive director of ECPAT-USA, an anti-trafficking organization, said the Super Bowl is an easy target for both the supply and demand of forced sex labor because of the accessibility of hotels and transportation networks. Statistics presented at the hearing depict human trafficking as a major industry in America’s underground economy. An estimated $9.5 billion is generated annually, said Rep. Ann Wagner, R-Mo. — Sam Sturgis (McClatchy Washington Bureau)
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Officials warn residents of natural gas solicitors
Evanston officials warned residents Friday about natural gas supplier solicitors who have approached numerous residents throughout January. A door-to-door salesperson has visited multiple residents’ homes with a clipboard, helmet and badge, city spokesman Patrick Deignan said. The salesperson is not affiliated with Evanston or its Utilities Department. The warning advised residents against signing up with a gas or electricity supplier on the spot.
Police Blotter Man arrested at Saint Francis Hospital
Police arrested an Evanston man Monday at Saint Francis Hospital in connection with disorderly conduct and assault. The man was fighting with a security guard near the emergency room of the hospital, 355 Ridge Ave., Monday at about 5:30 p.m., police said. The man attempted to spit on the guard and was using profane language, Evanston Police Cmdr. Jay Parrott said. The guard advised the man to leave the premises, but he refused. Officers charged him with disorderly conduct and assault. He is scheduled to appear in court Feb. 19.
Ald. Jane Grover (7th) brought the issue to the city’s attention after noticing multiple comments from residents on a community message board, Deignan said. Evanston’s 311 hotline has received four complaints about natural gas solicitors so far this month, he added. Residents can ban solicitors from their homes by posting a “No Soliciting” sign on or near a main entrance, Deignan said. Residents are encouraged to report door-to-door gas or electricity suppliers that claim to represent Evanston to the police department. — Ciara McCarthy
Up to $10K of collectible coins stolen en route from city to Massachusetts
An Evanston resident reported that up to $10,000 worth of collectible coins were stolen in the last week. The resident shipped five boxes of collectible coins last week from the post office at 1929 Central St. The resident told police Monday that two of the boxes, together valued at between $10,000 and $12,000, had arrived empty at their shipping destination in Massachusetts, Parrott said. It is unknown whether the theft occurred in Evanston, he added. — Ciara McCarthy
Sports desk
Setting the record straight
sports@dailynorthwestern.com
In “Composer visits Bienen ensemble” from Monday’s print edition, the Bienen Contemporary Early/Vocal Ensemble was misidentified. The article also misidentified the composer of “The Little Match Girl Passion.” This piece was composed by David Lang.
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In “Alum creates Snapchat-like app” from Monday’s print edition, Steve Tarzia’s role was misstated. He oversees marketing to consumers.
First copy of The Daily is free, additional copies are 50 cents. All material published herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright 2014 The Daily Northwestern and protected under the “work made for hire” and “periodical publication” clauses of copyright law.
In “Council OKs school route camera plan” from Tuesday’s print edition, the amount of money Evanston is requesting for the Evanston Township High School camera project was incorrect. The city is seeking $200,000 The Daily regrets the errors.
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1/16/14 9:31 AM
wednesday, january 29, 2014
On Campus
“
Now, in 2014, a lot of former Braceros are in their 70s and 80s, and as they age, the Smithsonian Institution and Northwestern thought it was a good idea to collect their history.
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— exhibit organizer Geraldo Cadava
the daily northwestern | NEWS 3 Dittmar Gallery to display Mexican immigration program Page 5
Options limited for protecting bikes from snow By JORDAN HARRISON
the daily northwestern @MedillJordan
When Bienen freshman Gordon Burkhart found out he couldn’t store his bicycle in Chapin Hall over Winter Break, he came up with a creative solution: He took the bike apart and stored the pieces in his room instead. Burkhart, who once worked as a bike mechanic in San Diego, said there was a lack of free bicycle storage on campus during winter. “I honestly don’t want to pay money for a service that I think Northwestern should just provide for students that don’t live in the area,” he said. Burkhart said it took him about 20 minutes to take the bike apart and 30 minutes to put it back together again, and his community assistant told him he wasn’t technically breaking the rules. He said he still uses the bike and now keeps it outside. Some bikes are still left outdoors in the winter, as
bike storage space is limited in campus residences, said Paul Riel, executive director of Residential Services. Indoor bike storage is available in Ayers College of Commerce and Industry, Bobb Hall, Communications Residential College, Kemper Hall and Slivka Residential College, according to the Residential Services website. “Most residential facilities are not designed for bike storage,” Riel said. “A year or so ago, we actually set up a deal with BoxCo, which is an on-campus student organization, to offer bike storage programs to students for a fee.” McCormick sophomore David Olodort, the CEO of BoxCo., said he thinks the $40 storage price, discounted from $50 for summer storage, is reasonable and said he has not gotten direct complaints about the cost. He also said he wants to do more marketing for BoxCo. to students who might want to use it. “For us, it’s the idea of just providing that service for the students regardless of the revenue or the business experience,” Olodort said. Weinberg freshman Evan Lee decided to store his
bike with BoxCo. but said he wished he didn’t have to store it for the entire winter so he could still use it. “It’s annoying to get from place to place,” Lee said. The shuttles aren’t the greatest, so it’s nice to have a bike. But there’s really no place to put your bike in the winter.” Exposure to recent subzero temperatures may not be too harmful to outdoor bikes, said Gretchen Brauer, service manager of Wheel & Sprocket, 1027 Davis St. Snow, or any moisture, is more likely than cold to damage bikes and is especially harmful to chains, links and hinges, she said. “The number one thing that gets affected is the chains,” Brauer said. “When moisture gets into the chains, it freezes the links up and causes corrosion inside the links. So, if a bike sits out all winter, the chain essentially is in rough shape when the the chain doesn’t get moved at all. You go to ride it in the summer … and it won’t actually rotate around your gears.” jordanharrison2017@u.northwestern.edu
Ina Yang/Daily Senior Staffer
CYCLING ON ICE Bikes sit parked outside Whole Foods, 1640 Chicago Ave. Despite the drop in temperatures, outdoor racks remain popular because free storage in campus buildings is limited.
New tracker site gives GPS locations of NU shuttles By Mark Ficken
the daily northwestern @Mark_Ficken
Standing out in the cold waiting for a shuttle may be a thing of the past. The beta version of a new bus tracking system was made available online Tuesday allowing students to follow shuttles around Chicago and Evanston. Run by Indiana-based company DoubleMap, the system places GPS systems onto each bus. Several universities across the country use the service. “We decided to move to the DoubleMap tracking devices since they are very popular amongst other universities and the user friendly popularity of the system itself,” said Marge Grzeszczuk, transportation manager for University Services.
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Because of cold temperatures, the University and shuttle operator Free Enterprise System have encountered problems installing trackers on all the buses. They have also had issues with implementing the system while the shuttles run at full capacity. “Part of the problem is that these vehicles are out of their advancing mechanical base for 20 hours a day, so sometimes it’s just a matter of getting the bus back to mechanics so they can install the system,” Grzeszczuk said. The system intends to end issues with late or absent shuttles. Though the tracker does not account for weather or road conditions, it still allows students to see when buses will arrive, allowing them to plan ahead, Grzeszczuk said. Weinberg freshman Gus Berrizbeitia used a similar system last summer during his internship at Harvard University. He said he believes the new
system will help students plan ahead. “It shows us where the bus is so I can know, ‘Oh I should go here,’ or ‘Oh no there is no bus coming, and I should give up my infantile hopes that they will actually be coming today,’” Berrizbeitia said. Grzeszczuk explained that the system has been in its planning stages since last October, but they didn’t plan to launch until later this quarter. However, because of the increased use of shuttles, they decided to launch early. “We wanted to put out a perfect package for everybody,” she said. “Unfortunately, sometimes getting perfection takes a little time. Safety came in front of perfection here.” Students can access the system online at northwestern.doublemap.com and through mobile apps. In the future, the app will also estimate arrival times at each stop.
Though the tracker will help reassure students that the shuttles are running, some students say the buses don’t run at convenient times. Weinberg freshman Aundria Myers has a class schedule that requires her to get from the Technological Institute to Kresge Hall in 10 minutes, yet there are no convenient shuttles scheduled, she said. “They don’t come at a time where I can take them,” Myers said. “So I’m having to speed walk down there … I know there’s a 9:39, and that doesn’t help me at all.” Still, Berrizbeitia thinks the system will be a welcome change and help ease up complaints about the system. He plans to get the app as soon as he can. “I’d even pay for it,” he said. markficken2017@u.northwestern.edu
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Opinion
Join the online conversation at www.dailynorthwestern.com
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
PAGE 4
Develop routines that don’t lead to winter blues Naib Mian
Daily columnisT
Staying indoors fuels unhappiness, so do things that brighten your mood The winter blues are well known to many. The lethargy hits, we remain cooped up inside and slowly our physical, mental and emotional vigor deteriorates. With record low temperatures that severely limit our activity, these seasonal swings can be exacerbated. The intense cold deters us from going outside for anything other than our basic needs. Go to class, come back, work, eat, sleep, repeat. A routine builds up that creates a cycle of laziness, angst and isolation. Coming from the 60-degree winters of California, I hadn’t had much experience with real seasonal changes, but I’ve already started observing stark shifts in the way I and others around me act. Lacking anything like the support system we may have had at home, it’s common for us to be a bit more alone these days. The cold makes me stay inside. Staying inside makes me restless. Being restless hinders my ability to work, and thus, any time not spent shuffling around awkwardly or
looking longingly out a window is spent doing work to catch up. Social interaction decreases, and we fall into a routine that only perpetuates the cycle. We increasingly become more reserved, don’t go out of our way for others as much and without the fulfillment of interaction, unhappiness and anxiety seep in. For the sake of our sanity, our health and our relationships, though, it’s important that we don’t let the winter blues get to us. The routine that sets in causes our unhappiness to proliferate, and preventing this means breaking the routine. Happiness is the result of a number of positive changes in our routine, little shifts that distance us from the slowly increasing disorder of our lives. Scientifically, light is an important part of fending off these changes in our mood, and that’s the easiest step in diverging from our increased time spent indoors. Pull back the shades, start catching up on work you’ve been putting off and clear your mind of the myriad things you need to get done. As your workload is slowly taken care of, change up what you do in your free time to make the winter more interesting and refreshing.
Online Buzz from “Letter to the Editor: The cold reality of the Frostbite Shuttle”
If you are going to live off campus, you should take into account that it will be a longer commute to your classes. If you have poor health and the cold endangers your life, then you should take that into account when deciding whether or not you should attend college in Illinois and not Hawaii. — Adam Roth
Seriously. Even WITH the frostbite shuttle, there are periods of 45 minutes at a time where no shuttle comes near my house. — Sunjay Hauntingston
Also, just because we choose to live farther from campus doesn’t make it an excuse for the shuttles to be 10-20 minutes late. I waited for a shuttle back to my apartment near Tech for 20 minutes and it didn’t come. If we have to adjust our schedules to make it to the shuttle, it should at least be there. —Yuliya Nemykina
The Daily Northwestern Volume 134, Issue 62 Editor in Chief Paulina Firozi
Managing Editors Joseph Diebold Manuel Rapada
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR may be sent to 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208, via fax at 847-491-9905, via e-mail to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com or by dropping a letter in the box outside The Daily office. Letters have the following requirements: • Should be typed • Should be double-spaced • Should include the author’s name, signature, school, class and phone number. • Should be fewer than 300 words
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They will be checked for authenticity and may be edited for length, clarity, style and grammar. 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.
Graphic by Jordan Harrison and Elizabeth Santoro/The Daily Northwestern
Whether it’s getting together with your floormates to watch a movie, grab dinner or just hang out and do homework (with the occasional spontaneous dance party) or braving the cold to meet your friend at Starbucks, keep your social interaction alive. Not only will this keep you rejuvenated, but also it won’t allow for the tension in friendships and interactions that can arise due to increased isolation and mood changes.
As we await the springtime sun, making it through the winter is tough, but with some sweet company and hot cocoa, passing through this bitter cold might be a little easier. Naib Mian is a Medill freshman. He can be reached at naibmian2017@u.northwestern.edu. If you want to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com.
Why I don’t care for American football Angela LIN
Daily columnisT
Here’s an unpopular opinion: I don’t like American football. I just don’t understand it. And no, I’m not talking about the rules, the players or the strategies. I’m talking about the screaming, face-painted, beer-sloshing madness. In seventh grade, one of my good friends refused to talk to me because I was wearing purple, the color of his pro-football rival team. I’ve also heard countless news stories about people resorting to physical violence because a football game didn’t end in their favor. I thought this ridiculousness was reserved for Black Friday. Don’t get me wrong. I am American. I was born and raised in Olympia, Wash. I like Beyonce, PB&J and free-market capitalism. However, though I understand that American football is just another social identity permeated by in-group favoritism and self-categorization, I never understood WHY football was “chosen” to be an icon for America. There are so many other things to identify with in America. What about the Second Amendment? The Kardashians? Corn dogs? Regardless, I managed to hide my sacrilegious indifference to American football all throughout high school. However, coming to Northwestern only increased my fear that everyone would discover my deep secret. I was eventually forced to re-evaluate my own standing with football ideology. I remembered interviewing Associated Student Government President Ani Ajith for a cultural interest story a few weeks earlier. As we approached the subject of diversity within NU, Ani related his own story of coming to NU, emphasizing his willingness to embrace American culture and tradition while staying true to his Indian roots. Such incorporation truly exemplifies the American melting pot, right? I thought about my first experiences here, running onto Ryan Field during the Wildcat Dash: Now was my chance to turn around, to assimilate, to embrace this beautiful, honorable, concussion-causing art. I was tired of hiding, and I was optimistic about changing my views and opinions. In short, it didn’t happen. I was still surrounded by screaming, face-painted, beer-sloshing madness, and my opinion remained unchanged. Eventually, panic began to overshadow my indifference. Did my disdain for American football mean I was dispassionate, pretentious and lacking cultural tolerance? What would people think of me? And so
I turned to one of my friends who recently found “interest” in professional football. I was hoping to find reassurance – maybe my unpopular opinion wasn’t so unpopular. Our conversation went as follows: “So why did you start liking football?” “First, being surrounded by so many Patriots fans made me want to represent my home, and I like how wearing Seahawks gear invites other people to start conversations. Also, watching games was a way to bond with a good friend here who is really interested. So I started watching them with him, but as I came to understand the game better (and got to know the players), I’ve actually become weirdly invested!” Sigh. So maybe unpopular opinions truly are unpopular. However, all this self-reflection did lead to some sort of a revelation — here comes the most unpopular part of this opinion — I have no desire to understand American football. I say this because I’ve tried, wholeheartedly, with both internal and external incentives, to love this sport. Though I admit that life would be easier if I could change my opinion, or even continue to hide it, I wouldn’t change it. Yes, you may be thinking that this is all very dramatic, especially since it’s only about a sport. However, I make this statement because I know it applies to so many people, because I’m not the only one who hides their failure to openly embrace a new experience. So maybe I’m talking about football as an allegory to another matter. Maybe I’m talking about why you pretended to understand “underground electric-dubstep-opera remixes” or why you told everyone you hooked up with three girls this weekend (you watched Netflix instead) or maybe something deeper and simpler, like why you pretended to be happy when you weren’t. To some extent, a culture where unpopular opinions are overtly deprecated creates a world full of football-crazed, pretentious-music-loving, one-night-stand-having pretenders. I am, of course, exaggerating, but I’d much rather live in a world full of people who genuinely love football, pretentious music and one-night-stands and are actually happy rather than people who pretend to be. Unfortunately, this will never happen if people aren’t completely candid about their views and opinions. Fortunately, I’m a firm believer that misery loves company; people will share their opinions once someone else is the first to break the ice. So, with this, I challenge you to share your true opinions with respect, humility and confidence. Angela Lin is a Weinberg freshman. She can be reached at angelalin2017@u.northwestern.edu. If you want to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com.
the daily northwestern | NEWS 5
wednesday, january 29, 2014
Creator of sustainable indoor farm comes to NU By Scott Brown
the daily northwestern @scottbrown545
Behind the brick walls of a former meatpacking facility on the South Side of Chicago, John Edel is working to create a model for sustainable urban farming. Edel, director and founder of The Plant, came to Northwestern Tuesday night to talk about his center for urban farming and sustainable food businesses. The talk, hosted by the student gardening group Wild Roots, brought about 60 people to the McCormick Tribune Center. Edel purchased the Peer Foods meatpacking facility, an abandoned relic of Chicago’s industrial days, in 2010. As renovation began, Edel said they worked with what the building had to offer. “It was 90 years old, but it had an enormous amount of embodied energy in the structure,” he said. Crews reused metal, drywall and scraps left behind in the building to create new rooms and structures. At the same time, work began on The Plant’s larger goal of creating a sustainable system, generating its own energy and reusing all of its waste.
“The Plant is striving to be a living machine,” Edel said. “We close loops. We try to find a use for the output of every process.” This “closed loop” is exemplified in The Plant’s “aquaponics” system. Edel described this indoor farming method, which uses waste from tank-raised fish to feed plants grown in water without soil. Both the fish and the produce are then harvested and sold. The aquaponics farm is run by Greens and Gills, one of the handful of tenants that operate within The Plant. The building’s five indoor farms grow crops such as herbs, mushrooms and low-hanging fruits. Two bakeries make fresh bread, pies and pastries. And plans are moving ahead for the construction of two breweries. Edel said his vision is for all of these businesses to eventually be using the waste of one as fuel for another. He provided the example of using carbon dioxide waste from the breweries to enrich the growth of produce. “You can’t always succeed, but you can do something with just about anything,” Edel said. “Even if you just shave 10 percent of the input cost off for the business, that’s still 10 percent.” The Plant will ultimately be completely net-zero, Edel said, although the food waste processor that will be used to power the building is still under
construction. Wild Roots decided to bring in Edel to speak after a few of its members volunteered at The Plant. Adam Berman, co-president of Wild Roots, said he was happy with the talk and its content. “As college students, we are really disconnected from where our food comes from, especially living in an urban environment,” the Weinberg senior said. “The Plant is a creative example of how you can change the system and grow food in an urban space.” The Plant also works to reach out to the local Chicago community. This has included gardening classes, panel discussions and a local farmer’s market. “We want to get people talking to each other, thinking about food,” Edel said. “The more people talk to each other, the more things come out of it.” Weinberg senior Ari Melinger-Cohen said he was inspired by the talk. “This is the sort of thing that needs to be happening because it’s working against the grain, and it’s trying to change things,” Melinger-Cohen said. “It’s trying to progress society forward.” Edel said he wants The Plant to be a place where people can experiment with innovative ideas. “Attempting to do things like brewing and baking at net-zero proves a point,” Edel said. “The idea is to
Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
PLANTING A SEED John Edel, founder of net-zero energy farm The Plant, speaks at the McCormick Tribune Center on Tuesday.
try to put pressure on corporations and everybody else, saying ‘If I can do that, how come you can’t?’” scottbrown2017@u.northwestern.edu
Dittmar Gallery to feature exhibit on Bracero program By Rebecca Savransky
the daily northwestern @beccasavransky
Norris University Center’s Dittmar Gallery will feature a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit in February on the Bracero program, a controversial war initiative that brought several million Mexican immigrants to the United States as temporary laborers. The exhibit, titled Bittersweet Harvest: The Bracero Program, 1942-1964, will open Feb. 15 and chronicle the program’s history from 1942 to 1964 by coupling the official exhibit with student and faculty research. The display is part of a nearly three-year effort to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Bracero program’s end and to encourage discussion on current immigration reform.
“Now, in 2014, a lot of former Braceros are in their 70s and 80s, and as they age, the Smithsonian Institution and Northwestern thought it was a good idea to collect their history,” exhibit organizer Geraldo Cadava said. The exhibit will include photographs, audio stories and other documents about former Bracero workers and will feature events involving discussions with members of the Bracero program, film screenings and dance performances. “Each of the other events will offer other unique ways of understanding the past and the present of the Bracero program and Latino immigration in general,” Cadava said. The display will also highlight additional research done by professors and graduate students in the Chicago area. Almita Miranda, a first-year anthropology graduate student and the granddaughter of a Bracero
worker, said she has been working with students for the past year to interview former Bracero workers in the Chicago area as part of a national initiative. Miranda said she has transcribed 20 interviews with former Bracero workers, their wives and their children to add a more personal connection to the program. NU’s approach to this initiative was unique, she said, because students spoke to workers and family members of program participants. “Men tended to talk about the program more favorably,” Miranda said. “They said, ‘Yeah, the work was hard,’ but it wasn’t something they weren’t used to. The women talked about more of the exploitation the men had gone through.” This inclusive approach helped to give the exhibit a wider range of perspectives, Miranda said. Many other individuals also helped to compile information for the exhibit. Arianna Hermosillo
(Medill ’10) interviewed former Bracero workers, though she has not been involved with the initiative since 2011. She said she hopes the exhibit will help the community understand the long history of the program and of immigration in the U.S. “I think it’s really important history to be talked about, to be recognized, to be understood and to continue on as part of eternity,” Hermosillo said. Cadava said she is hoping the exhibit will teach the community the importance of looking at the past when thinking about debates on current immigration reforms. “They’ll be able to use the exhibit at Northwestern to think more broadly about the issue of Latin American immigration to the U.S.,” Cadava said. “We’re hoping it will be a multisensory experience.” beccasavransky2015@u.northwestern.edu
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6 NEWS | the daily northwestern wednesday, january 29, 2014
Cook County passes new waste, recycling ordinance By Bailey Williams
the daily northwestern @news_BaileyW
Cook County passed a solid waste and recycling ordinance this month, allowing for increased inspections and monitoring of recycling and waste facilities. “Evanston’s pretty aggressive and … has had a long standing recycling and waste management program,” Evanston Sustainable Programs Coordinator Catherine Hurley told The Daily. “We had a lot of really great programs in place already.” The Solid Waste and Recycling Ordinance focuses on accountability. Under the ordinance, data will be collected on waste and recycling, landfills will see increased inspections and recycling facilities will be regularly monitored, Cook County staff said. “(SWRO is) bringing us all around to the 21st century,” Cook County Chief Sustainability Officer Deborah Stone said. Stone said SWRO will not change anything locally in towns like Evanston about how the city picks up its garbage or runs its recycling. Localities will still be able to make those decisions. There will be more focus at the recycling
Address From page 1
to wait for Congress to act,” Obama said. “Americans will support you if you take this on. And as a chief executive, I intend to lead by example.” Obama also promised to order the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Wednesday to create a retirement fund called MyRA to address inequalities in retirement savings. He urged Congress to make the fund available to all working Americans. College Republicans president Rebecca Schieber said the hopeful tone of Obama’s speech contrasted with the current Congress stalemate. Throughout the speech, Obama indicated he may bypass the legislature to boost the economy and address broad issues such as providing greater support to pre-K education. Schieber expressed concern with Obama’s pledge to use unilateral action. “I think he made those statements because now he understands what checks and balances is. He is running into a stalemate with Congress,” the Weinberg junior said. “He has taken it upon himself to use his own executive order to solve problems, and I don’t think that’s right.” In addition, Obama encouraged Congress to restore unemployment insurance benefits, which recently expired for 1.3 million Americans. In a study for the Institute for Policy Research, Kellogg Prof.
and waste facilities themselves, Stone said. There were also high instances of illegal fly dumping in Cook County, Stone said. Fly dumping is the illegal dumping of any waste material on public or private property, according to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s website. Under SWRO, people or companies caught fly dumping can be prosecuted and would likely face fines, Stone said. However, Stone noted the county is not trying to issue a lot of tickets, but rather guide people “to do the right thing.” Hurley, who works with the city government and the community to implement Evanston’s climate action plan, said Stone came to the Evanston Environment Board to inform them about what the county was working on. Even beyond SWRO, Hurley said Evanston has a number of recycling programs in place. She added that there are ways for individuals to help the recycling effort. “There’s lots of opportunities for people to help divert recycling and materials that can be reused from waste in the landfills,” Hurley said. “Looking for every opportunity in daily life is important.” Stone said the ordinance was introduced in September with input from the recycling industry. The other organizations that contributed to the crafting of the ordinance added amendments Brian Melzer linked dramatic increases in unemployment benefits with stability in the housing market. However, increasing unemployment benefits is a two-sided issue, he said. “(It) requires you to trade off,” Melzer said. “The cost of extending unemployment insurance benefits … is subsidizing people’s leisure.” The president’s speech was infused with a spirit of optimism, said Nicolas Wagner, who attended the College Democrats’ watch party. “Overall, I like how he was able to speak with an air of cooperation and excitement with Congress, but if they were to stonewall him more, he is willing to take control of his own,” the Bienen freshman said. Some students from the College Democrats watch party recognized the high stakes environment in which it took place. The speech comes before a midterm election in which Republicans need to recover six seats to take control of the Senate. Kevin Cheng, vice president of programming for College Democrats, said given the polarized nature of Congress the president will have the most success focusing on backing inequality and immigration reforms. “I feel like it comes to a point now (where) it’s tougher to do sweeping changes,” the Weinberg sophomore said. edwardcox2011@u.northwestern.edu
Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
DUMP RESPONSIBLY Waste disposal in Cook County is going to face stricter regulations. Cook County passed a new ordinance this month that increased the monitoring of waste and recycling facilities.
to the legislation, such as excluding “publicly owned waste facilities” and delaying the time for waste haulers to report data for a year, according
to a county news release.
Task Force
coordination between the federal agencies and offices enforcing guidelines on campus sexual assault. In the report, Obama also charged the task force with exploring methods used at different institutions and providing evidence-based best practices to share with all universities. Stuart said she thought the task force’s findings could improve prevention at NU. “I would love it if they would fund research about which prevention programs are effective,” she said. “(Currently) you are just making your best guess on what will really create change.” Prevention methods do not traditionally receive as much attention as response, Adams said, noting he would be interested to see the task force look into prevention programs. However, the 90-day timeline Obama gave the group to look into campus sexual assault may be too short, he said. Obama’s focus on campus sexual assault rather than sexual assault in general is important in bringing awareness to the issue, said Medill junior Ian Robinson, a member of Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault. “It was super cool to see that coming from as high a level as the United States president, but also coming in a way that’s much more intelligent than just saying sexual assault is bad,” he said. “Sexual assault on college campuses is very different and needs to be treated in a different way.”
From page 1
President Obama and then in turn the university presidents speak up and say ‘This is important.’” Many universities can benefit if the increased national attention can help generate more funding for campus grants, Stuart said. A grant NU received in 2011 helped fund CARE and the University’s first full-time sexual assault survivor advocate. Administrators noted national awareness of sexual assault on college campuses has been building in recent years. The “Dear Colleague” letter released in 2011 clarified that Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 did apply to sexual violence. The Violence Against Women Act of 1994 was reauthorized in 2013, creating more protections against sexual violence. NU’s new policy will comply better with new requirements, Dean of Students Todd Adams said. Adams said he thought it would be helpful to NU and other schools if the task force reconciled all the federal policies and demonstrate the overlap. “I think the transparency of the enforcement being put forth is important,” Adams said. “If it’s what this task force comes up with, we’d have a better understanding of what we need to do and how we need to do it.” In a White House report released Wednesday, Obama asked the task force to encourage more
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the daily northwestern | NEWS 7
wednesday, january 29, 2014
CAPA
From page 1
Daily file photo by Susan Du
state of the union Senior quarterback Kain Colter shows his support for the All Players United movement during a game against Maine in September. Colter spearheaded the effort to gain labor union representation for Northwestern football players Tuesday.
being an employee and being a student are not mutually exclusive. Above all, Huma and Colter emphasized the need for players to have a “seat at the table” in discussion of their rights. Currently, only schools — and not the players themselves — are members of the NCAA. Huma said this creates conflicts of interest for coaches and trainers, whose jobs are dependent on athletic success above all else. As the system currently stands, he said, players are without a voice in NCAA matters. The NCAA issued a statement Tuesday expressing its opposition to the proposal. “This union-backed attempt to turn studentathletes into employees undermines the purpose of college: an education,” said Donald Remy, the organization’s chief legal officer. “Student-athletes are not employees, and their participation in college sports is voluntary. We stand for all student-athletes, not just those the unions want to professionalize.” In a separate statement, NU athletic director Jim Phillips said he supported the athletes’ goals but not their methods. “Northwestern believes that our student-athletes are not employees and collective bargaining is therefore not the appropriate method to address these concerns,” Phillips said. “However, we agree that the health and academic issues being raised by our student-athletes and others are important ones that deserve further consideration.” The NFL Players Association voiced its approval of the NU players’ actions.
“We support the effort,” the NFLPA said in a statement. “While college football players get an ‘education,’ the wholesale cost of absorbing an extra body into the broader university mechanism pales in comparison to what the football program brings to the university. The players deserve more for the physical risks they take, and we applaud them for having the courage to pursue it.” Colter said multiple times Tuesday his involvement with CAPA is not a reaction to any specific issue he had at NU and maintains respect for the school and its football program. That includes coach Pat Fitzgerald, who objected to aspects of the “APU” display in September but tweeted Tuesday afternoon he is “incredibly proud” of Colter and his teammates. Colter said he spoke with Fitzgerald on Tuesday morning to warn the coach of the forthcoming announcement. “This action isn’t out of any mistreatment from Northwestern,” the senior said. “I hope Northwestern is proud of me. I love Fitz. He’s a great coach. As a former player, I think he can relate.” The quarterback played four years at NU, throwing and rushing for more than 2,000 yards each over 40 career games and accounting for 50 touchdowns passing, rushing and receiving. His college eligibility expired after the 2013 football season and he has since hired an agent and begun preparations for April’s NFL Draft. “To remain silent while players are denied justice,” said the statement Colter read Tuesday, “is to be complicit in inflicting injustice on future generations of college athletes.” asputt@u.northwestern.edu
THE CENTER FOR THE WRITING ARTS Don’t miss this writing opportunity!
Native American writer MARK TURCOTTE only on campus for SPRING QUARTER 2014 “WRITING 301 The Art of Fiction: Short-Short Prose and Prose Poetry Spring Quarter 2014 with Visiting Writer in Residence MARK TURCOTTE TU-TH 11:00 AM-12:20 PM Getbyyour own Group This is an undergraduate course, open application only . together and charter a van. Applications can be found online SPECIAL 10 at: passenger www.northwestern.edu/writing-arts/
van rate of $130.
A group of 10 travel for as APPLICATION DEADLINE: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2014 by$13 10per AM little as person.
Please email completed application, writing sample and essay to: words@northwestern.edu
Mark Turcotte (Turtle Mountain Chippewa) is author of four poetry collections, including The Feathered Heart and Exploding Chippewas. His poetry and short fiction have appeared in many literary journals, including TriQuarterly, POETRY, Hunger Mountain, Rosebud, Prairie Schooner, Kenyon Review, Ploughshares, Sentence and The Missouri Review. In recent months he has been invited to share his work from Boston to Santa Fe to Fargo to Montepellier, France. Turcotte served as the 2008-2009 Visiting Native Writer at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Course Description: We will travel the blurry boundaries between short-short prose and prose poetry. Students will read, discuss and respond in writing to the work of past and contemporary practitioners of each of these genres, and will create new writing to meet the demands of our workshop setting. Students will have the opportunity to use work from their own previous writing as fodder to re-imagine prose as poetry and poetry as prose—to betray their natural impulses. In fact, the class will require a willingness on the part of students to complete exercises in which they will disassemble and rebuild writing from their own portfolios. Through guided writing exercises and imitations students will explore a variety of techniques and approaches for blending genres; will practice concepts of constructive critique during workshop portions of the course; and will experience the task of creating new work to meet scheduled deadlines. The course will provide students with the chance to explore short-short prose and prose poetry as art forms, and as the vehicle to express personal, cultural, social, political and historical ideas. To learn more about the CWA find us on FACEBOOK, TWITTER (@WritingNU) or visit our WEBSITE.
www.northwestern.edu/writing-arts/
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SPORTS
ON DECK
ON THE RECORD
Women’s Basketball 30 NU at Indiana, 6 p.m. Thursday
JAN.
I truly don’t think that this has anything to do with Northwestern right now. — John Plasencia, former Northwestern tight end
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
@Wildcat_Extra
Cats look to gauge progress in Madison By Bobby Pillote
the daily northwestern @BobbyPillote
Despite the media frenzy surrounding Northwestern sports Tuesday, the basketball team concentrated on its upcoming game. “I think right now everybody is just focused on playing Wisconsin,” sophomore guard Tre Demps said. The Wildcats (10-11, 3-5 Big Ten) will certainly need to be prepared as they travel to Madison, Wis. to take on No. 14-ranked Badgers (17-3, 4-3). The game will mark the sixth time this month NU has faced a ranked opponent, a count that does not include now No. 10-ranked Michigan. The Cats and Badgers last met on Jan. 2, when Wisconsin came to Welsh-Ryan Arena and delivered a 76-49 drubbing of NU in coach Chris Collins’ Big Ten debut. “That first game was eye-opening for all of us,” Collins said. “WisWe had a tough consin came loss to them in in here and our first Big Ten showed what really game. ...We want high-level to make a better basketball was all showing ... for about, so I’m interthis game. ested to Drew Crawford, see how senior forward our guys can show how we’ve improved over the last month.” Indeed, much has changed for the Cats in the seven games since. The team has picked up three conference victories and has shown a vastly improved defense that currently ranks 16th in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency according to kenpom.com. “We’ve had our ups. We’ve had our downs,” Collins said, “but we’ve gotten better from it.” Despite the emergence of
“
Men’s Basketball
Daily sports @ROHAN_NU
Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
Point man Sophomore guard Tre Demps, here holding off his Michigan State defender, has gained recognition for his clutch 3-pointers of late. Demps may be the team’s most improved player, and coach Chris Collins says his ability to break down defenses makes him a go-to leader on offense.
Northwestern vs. No. 14 Wisconsin Madison, Wis. 8 p.m. Wednesday
sophomore center Alex Olah, Demps is looking more and more like the most improved player on this still improving team. The late-game sharpshooter has gained adulation from fans for his clutch 3-point shots and has drawn praise from coaches for his hard work. “(Demps) has always been a very confident player,” Collins said. “I love that attitude. ... As the season has gone along, I just feel he’s gotten better and better. He’s learning how and when to pick and choose his spots, and when it comes down in a close game, he’s the guy we like
to run our offense through because he has the ability to break defenses down.” Demps played a hefty 26 minutes off the bench but scored only 4 points the last time NU played Wisconsin. The Cats will need more from their finisher to have any chance of pulling off the upset on the road. “That’s probably one of the toughest places to play in the country,” Demps said. “But we feel confident with our group, that we have a resilient group of guys that’s going to fight.” The Badgers quickly gained respect as one of the best teams in the nation this season by winning their first 17 games. But, they don’t seem quite so invincible after dropping three games in a row, including
one on their home court, to fall to 17-3. Demps’ teammates echoed his confidence. “We’re up for the challenge,” senior forward Drew Crawford said. “We know we had a tough loss to them in our first Big Ten game. ... We want to make a better showing and really come in excited for this game.” For his part, Collins also seems well prepared for the game. “We try to draw on the fact that the last road game we played, we were successful,” he said. “I want them to be confident, I want them to play with no pressure. ... In order to be successful and give yourself a chance, you can’t play tight. You can’t play nervous.” robertpillote2017@u.northwestern.edu
Former players show support for Colter daily senior staffer @Rohan_NU
Former Northwestern players John Plasencia and Drew Moulton supported Northwestern’s union movement and reiterated the school’s support for injured players in separate interviews with The Daily on Tuesday. Plasencia and Moulton’s responses came in light of senior quarterback Kain Colter’s announcement Tuesday morning that Colter and “an overwhelming majority” of the football team had signed cards in a petition to unionize in the hopes of gaining better medical care and guaranteed scholarships. Colter insisted the issue was not with Northwestern, but rather other NCAA schools that do not treat players with the same care. Plasencia supported Colter’s claims. “Obviously Kain has a good head on his shoulders. He seems to be motivated by the right things,” Plasencia, a former tight end, said. “I truly don’t think that this has anything to do with Northwestern right now.” Plasencia suffered repeated concussions during his redshirt
Union fight par for the course at NU RoHAN Nadkarni
Football
By Rohan Nadkarni
Column
sophomore season in 2011, which he said increased in severity each time. Plasencia ended his football career at the end of that season but remained on scholarship in 2012 and had a minor role with the team. “I could not be happier with my treatment at Northwestern before, during or after any of my injuries,” Plasencia told The Daily. “There was no pressure on me to come back early. There was no pressure on me to come back at all.” After Plasencia consulted with doctors, coaches and his parents, he decided to stop playing. His status was in limbo because NU could have released him from his scholarship due to his medical status. Instead, Plasencia worked with the team during his senior academic year in order to graduate on time. “It was a foregone conclusion in the coaches eyes I would be absolutely taken care of,” Plasencia said. Moulton also played from 20092012 and like Plasencia, missed the 2012 season due to an injury. Moulton assured The Daily there was “no chance” of his scholarship being revoked due to his inability to play. Moulton, a former wide receiver, expressed curiosity in coach Pat Fitzgerald’s true feelings in the wake of Tuesday’s news. Fitzgerald tweeted
Daily file photo by Paul Geringer
favorable feedback Former Northwestern wide receiver Drew Moulton protects the ball in a 2011 game. Moulton expressed his support Tuesday for NU players in their efforts to achieve union certification.
he was “incredibly proud” of Colter and his teammates. “(Fitzgerald) could potentially view this as a distraction,” Moulton told The Daily. “He usually does not like those very much.” Moulton made sure to explicitly express support for the actions of Colter and his former teammates. He also shed light on how much
time athletes must spend during the season between games on footballrelated activities. “(The number of hours) is way more than the NCAA limit,” Moulton said. “Athletes voluntarily choose to spend more time working at things. But we have to just to keep up.” rohannadkarni2015@u.northwestern.edu
Maybe Deadspin can get off our backs now? Kain Colter announced Tuesday that he and many of the players on the Northwestern football team will attempt to unionize in order to bargain for better medical care and guaranteed scholarships for collegiate athletes. The move was strategic, well thought out and reverberated throughout the country. Yes, that was Colter you saw on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines” defending his and his teammates’ actions. As students, we should recognize a group of our own fighting for what they believe is an injustice. It’s why we chose Northwestern and what our professors, administrators and president push us to do every single day — make an impact in this world. This is why I’m prouder than ever to say I go to school with Colter and every other student who signed that petition. It’s not the first time students at this school fought for change, and it won’t be the last. When students wanted to recognize John Evans’ role in the Sand Creek massacre, our administration formed a committee to look into it. Heck, when Associated Student Government boldly complained about poor shuttle services in The Daily, the University responded the next day with more shuttles. NU’s attempt to unionize is a complicated issue. Not everyone loves unions, but the group’s ideas are noble and more than reasonable. Basically, the players are fighting for better medical care, scholarships that cover the entire cost of attendance and protection for injured players in good academic standing. Many of these problems aren’t present at our school, which was noted by Colter and several former players I spoke to today. That shows that this fight is truly about all athletes and future generations. The focus now turns to Coach Pat Fitzgerald and Athletic Director Jim Phillips. Fitzgerald tweeted support for Colter’s actions Tuesday. Phillips released a statement with support for the group’s goals but said he did not agree with unionizing as the right way to achieve those goals. But it says a lot that the team had to conduct this behind the backs of Fitzgerald and Phillips. It means the team knew they would not have the full support of the University. That begs the question — will the school leave its players to fight for themselves? I’m sure Fitzgerald and Phillips were blindsided by the news like the rest of us and will need time to educate themselves and take a position. They are currently saying the right things publicly, but I want to see them fully support players fighting for a just cause. The NCAA is a corrupt system that generates billions off the backs of players, and a scholarship is a drop-in-the-bucket expense. I believe 100 percent that our fellow students are fighting for the right thing. So I challenge our athletic leaders to guide and aid our students to accomplish their goal. And once again, I commend Colter for breaking down that invisible barrier between student and athlete. Because when I heard a group of students at our school was taking a bold stand against injustice, I thought, welcome to another day at Northwestern. rohannadkarni2015@u.northwestern.edu