sports Softball Wildcats seek rebound against Fighting Irish » PAGE 8
Prof argues for legality of Israeli settlements » PAGE 3
opinion Folmsbee The best science advocates aren’t scientists » PAGE 4
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Wednesday, April 15, 2015
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Evanston lobbies state politicians By Julia Jacobs
the daily northwestern @juliarebeccaj
Daniel Tian/The Daily Northwestern
Coming Home Beta Theta Pi is currently renting Delta Upsilon’s house at 2307 Sheridan Road. Northwestern’s DU chapter is returning to campus next year.
Delta Upsilon plans return By Alice Yin
daily senior staffer @alice__yin
The Northwestern chapter of Delta Upsilon fraternity is officially returning to campus and will be eligible to participate in recruitment next year. This month, DU’s international headquarters approved the chapter’s return from its suspension, said Eric Horner (Weinberg ‘97), NU’s director of online engagement and a member of the chapter’s alumni board. “It’s a positive step, but there’s a lot more work to be done,” Horner said. “I look forward to working with the students once the organization gets a status and is back to work on campus.” The fraternity is expected to form an advisory board by December before winter recruitment, Cynthia Rose, NU’s director of fraternity and sorority life, said in an
email to The Daily. Rose said the chapter will be able to recruit new members after the formal recruitment period ends in January 2016. Rose said from Sept. 21 to Dec. 12, the organization may also market its reestablished chapter on campus. DU has the lease for its on-campus house, 2307 Sheridan Road, which is being rented by Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Beta plans to move out after this academic year, as construction on its old house is slated to finish this July, said McCormick sophomore Daniel Perlovsky, the NU Beta chapter’s president. DU was found to have violated the University’s alcohol policy in May 2012. An investigation that followed found that the chapter had provided alcohol to minors, allowed minors to consume alcohol and broke the substance-free housing sanction. After failing to follow protocol to avoid suspension, the fraternity was suspended for one year in April 2013. Rose
said they were eligible to return to campus for the 2014-2015 school year. Fewer than 10 members who were affiliated at the time of the suspension are still NU students, Horner said. NU’s Fraternity and Sorority Life Advisory Board, which has been in close contact with DU since the end of 2014, reviewed a presentation by NU’s chapter in February requesting to return to the University, Rose said. The chapter introduced items including an advisory board plan, a new chapter manual and a recruitment outline. Rose said NU and DU’s international headquarters worked together to reestablish the fraternity. The NU advisory board, comprising students and faculty, reviewed the fraternity’s future accountability, internal structural developments and potential contributions to the community. “We’re eager to see Delta Upsilon » See DU, page 7
City leaders and community members traveled to Springfield Tuesday to discuss with state politicians issues pertinent to Evanston, including recent proposed budget cuts that will affect the city. About 50 people including city residents, Northwestern students, Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl and University President Morton Schapiro traveled to Springfield for the the Sixth Annual Evanston Lobby Day. The group spent time in discussions with State Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) and Gov. Bruce Rauner, whose proposed budget would cut Evanston’s Local Government Distributive Fund by 50 percent, losing the city about $3.75 million from its general funds, said Ylda Capriccioso, the city’s intergovernmental affairs coordinator. “We’re really bringing those people
the daily northwestern @amulyayala
After rebranding and restructuring, DesignWorks, a student-run graphic design business, is set to launch this week. The organization, formerly known as Promotional Student Designs, was created to establish a graphic design community at Northwestern. “I came to NU with a lot of art experience and wanted to get involved with graphic design, but realized there was no real community on campus,” said DesignWorks founder Arisa Toyosaki, a McCormick junior. “I made a lot of friends who felt the same way, so we started this group.” The startup company consists of 25 students who are commissioned to create designs for a variety of clients, from NU student groups and academic departments, to businesses
businesses on and off campus. “There aren’t many places dedicated for designers to meet and talk about design,” said DesignWorks staff member Joshua Shi, a McCormick freshman. “It’s a great place to get together and do something we love.” DesignWorks will still maintain DesignWorks the graphic design focus of PSD, but will have the support of NSH’s manis something I’m very agement team. “The biggest change has been propassionate about. We cedural and operational, but the big hope to make NU more picture values and principles have not beautiful. changed,” said NSH’s vice president of business operations Connor Regan. Arisa Toyosaki, “DesignWorks is rooted in the value of DesignWorks founder aesthetic design, and we want to help student groups and departments on with AdWorks, an advertising comcampus have prettier and more effecpany owned by Northwestern Student tive marketing communications.” Holdings. AdWorks had previously Regan, a SESP junior, is a former functioned as a traditional media Daily columnist and a former board company, working as an advertisemember of Students Publishing Co., ment broker between student publiThe Daily’s parent organization. Until this week, the company was in cations and other organizations and in Evanston and around the country. Designers are selected based on design talent and portfolio, and projects are assigned to members based on individual capabilities and strengths. In the spring of 2014, PSD merged
“
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
» See Lobby, page 7
Source: Jane Grover
Local Voices State Sen. Daniel Biss addressed Evanston citizens, city officials and members of Northwestern Associated Student Government during Evanston Lobby Day in Springfield, Illinois. Throughout the day, participants are invited to speak with representatives from the state legislature about issues they feel are pertinent to Evanston.
Student-run design business to launch By Amulya yalamanchili
down to Springfield so that the governor can see the cuts that he’s proposed will have an impact on these people that you see here with us today,” Capriccioso said. “They live here, they work here, and so our main mission was to drive that message.” It was clear from conversations with Democratic politicians such as Biss that they were opposed to Rauner’s budget cuts, said Elaine Kemna-Irish, executive director of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. There was no clear answer on how state politicians would help manage the effects of those cuts, she said. What was clear to KemnaIrish was the newfound Republican influence in the capitol. “It’s good that there are Republican voices because when you have diverse voices sometimes you make better decisions in the long run and it makes people realize that… the vote really counts,” Kemna-Irish said. Lack of funding for education in the state was one of the main focuses
pilot testing, engaged in commissions to test its business model. DesignWorks is starting a promotional campaign and is holding an official launch party this Friday on the lawn outside the Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center. “I see so much potential in DesignWorks,” Regan said. “It’s extremely exciting because it’s so new and entrepreneurial, and also because it fills a huge need on campus.” DesignWorks has plans to continue expanding the capabilities of their business. In addition to increasing the number of in-house designers, the organization intends to begin hosting design workshops and add apparel printing and website design to its services. “DesignWorks is something I’m very passionate about,” Toyosaki said. “We hope to make NU more beautiful.” amulyayalamanchili2017@u.northwestern.edu
Racist, anti-semitic graffiti reported in University Library
Incidents of racist and anti-semitic graffiti were reported at University Library this weekend. University Police Deputy Chief Dan McAleer said a swastika and derogatory remarks about African Americans were found in the men’s fourth-floor restroom on Saturday morning. The graffiti was written in pencil and the police were able to remove it, he said. McAleer said the incident is being investigated as a hate crime. University President Morton Schapiro sent a campus-wide email Tuesday condemning the graffiti. “The investigation by University Police has determined that there is no immediate danger to any specific individual or to the larger campus community,” Schapiro said in the email. “However, these acts are offensive to the entire Northwestern community and will not be tolerated.” —Tyler Pager
INSIDE Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 4 | Classifieds & Puzzles 6 | Sports 8
2 NEWS | the daily northwestern
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2015
Around Town Rotary Flame celebrates near eradication of polio By Marissa Page
the daily northwestern @marissahpage
Annabel Edwards/Daily Senior Staffer
Beacon of Hope Rotary International president Gary Huang lights the Rotary Flame outside One Rotary Center on Tuesday. The Flame signifies RI’s recent victory in their 30-year-long fight to eradicate polio worldwide with the declaration of India as a polio-free zone.
Police Blotter Playstation 3 stolen from Evanston apartments Someone broke into an apartment near the Evanston-Chicago border and stole a Sony PlayStation 3 on Monday afternoon, police said. The owner of the residence, a 52-year-old man, said he left his home in the 800 block of Dobson Avenue at 9 a.m. on Monday and upon his return at 2:30 p.m. found his apartment in disarray, Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan said. A PlayStation 3 worth about $400 was taken from the apartment, police said. Some of the 52-year-old resident’s possessions, including a DVD player and sunglasses, were found in the common area of the apartment complex but were later returned to him,
Dugan said. A chair was placed underneath one of the unlocked windows of the unit which was probably how the person entered the apartment, Dugan said.
Section of fence cut down
Someone cut down a section of a fence outside a home near the Evanston-Skokie border Monday morning, police said. A section of the chain-link fence at the home of a 62-year-old resident was cut down in the 2300 block of Foster Street at about 10 a.m., police said. There were no witnesses to the incident, but the owner of the property said a landscaper is doing work next door and may have done it to gain better access, Dugan said. — Julian Gerez
The Rotary International world headquarters in Evanston hosted a ceremonial lighting of the “Rotary Flame” Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the group’s role in the near-eradication of polio. RI began PolioPlus, their campaign to eradicate polio, in 1985. Since then, the Rotary Club’s branches have gone on thousands of vaccination trips, reducing the number of new polio cases worldwide from 350,000 a year to just 21 so far in 2015, said P.T. Prabhakar, director of the Madras Rotary Club. “The fruits of our labor since that day are clear,” said John Kenny, chair of RI’s board of trustees. “Ninetynine percent of the world’s population live in regions certified polio-free.” The Rotary Flame project began December 13 at the Rotary Club of Madras in Chennai, India, in recognition of the eradication of polio in the country. More than one hundred spectators, RI club members and leaders from around the world gathered in Evanston for the ceremony, which took place outside the headquarters, located at the One Rotary Center, 1560
Driver in shuttle accident charged with failure to reduce speed
The driver of the Northwestern shuttle that crashed downtown on Monday night said the accident was caused by a pothole, police said. The accident occurred near World of Beer, 1601 Sherman Ave. Three passengers were on the Campus Loop shuttle when it crashed, but no one was injured, said Brian Peters, NU’s assistant vice president for university services. A portion of the vehicle’s front windshield was shattered. Peters said the University contracts the shuttles from The Free Enterprise System, and the driver is not an NU employee. He said the accident would
2015 NU
Sherman Ave., in front of the PolioPlus statue. “This is very meaningful because we’ve been fighting polio for almost 30 years,” said Gary Huang, RI president. “We’re going to achieve this goal on schedule.” By the end of the Rotary Flame’s journey, slated for the RI Convention in Sao Paolo, Brazil on June 6, it will have traveled to 12 locations, including Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan, the three countries still affected by polio. Rotary hopes to end polio by 2018. “This flame is both a celebration and a clarion call,” said S.N. Srikanth, president of the Rotary Club of Madras. “It is intended to celebrate the fact that India became polio-free officially last year, and yet we know that there are several fragile countries where the dreaded disease has yet to be stamped out.” John Hewko, general secretary of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation, told The Daily that Evanston’s two Rotary clubs have also contributed to the fight against polio. “The two clubs here in Evanston have been very active throughout the years in fundraising for polio and also Rotarians from the two clubs have traveled to India and the other countries to participate as vaccinators in the campaign,” Hewko said. marissapage2018@u.northwestern.edu not affect the shuttle schedule moving forward. The Free Enterprise System could not be reached for comment. Evanston police Cmdr. Joseph Dugan said the driver told police he hit a pothole at approximately 9:50 p.m. The bus jumped the curb and hit a tree. The driver, a 49-year-old man from Indiana, was issued two citations: one for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and one for damage to city property. He is scheduled to appear in court May 29 at 9 a.m. in Skokie. University Police and Evanston firefighters also responded to the crash. Rebecca Savransky and Ghichong Lew contributed reporting. — Tyler Pager
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Prof, students discuss settlements By COLE FALCONER
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Tensions ran high in Scott Hall on Tuesday night as Law Prof. Eugene Kontorovich discussed the legality of Israeli settlements under international law. Kontorovich prefaced his speech by stating he was dissecting a “question of law” and he “was not going to talk about what’s good for peace … what’s fair … what God wants,” because “international law doesn’t necessarily coincide with any of those things.” “The word settlement as an international legal term is a bit strange,” Kontorovich said, before explaining its absence from the vocabulary of international law outside the League of Nation’s 1922 Mandate for Palestine. He went on to address arguments that Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands violated the Fourth Geneva Convention from a variety of angles, pointing to Palestine’s lack of legal entitlement to protection from the treaty and Palestine’s questionable status as a sovereign nation. Kontorovich is also a senior fellow at the Kohelet Policy Forum in Jerusalem. Wildcats for Israel, Northwestern’s Political Union and the Alexander Hamilton Society — whose NU chapter Kontorovich helped found — co-sponsored the event. Karna Nangia, co-president of Political Union, said the group brought Kontorovich because of students’ interest in the issue. “It challenges the way people think,” the Weinberg junior said before the event. “That’s always a good thing even if you don’t agree with it.” Kontorovich went on to illustrate ways in which the international community seemed to hold Israel to standards they did not hold for other countries, such as the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia, or the United States’ own occupation of Western Germany from its creation until 1989. Kontorovich concluded his speech by saying laws are important because “a rule which only
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LEGAL MATTERS Eugene Kontorovich speaks about the legality of Israeli settlements Tuesday night. Kontorovich argued that the settlements are technically legal under international law.
applies in one context and doesn’t apply in 11 others… is a value judgement.” “(It) might be legitimate, but you can’t call it international law,” he said. When Kontorovich opened the floor up to questions, some audience members contested his points. Tal Axelrod, co-chair of J Street U Northwestern, a pro-Israel group, said he attended the event “to push back on the notion that (settlements) are legal,” but believes “the bigger message is that settlements are an obstacle to peace.” “This is such a complex issue that you can never be too educated,” the Medill junior said. “You can never talk about it too much.” Weinberg senior Josh Boxerman, the outgoing chair for J Street U Northwestern, said he was concerned Kontorovich focused only on the legality of the issue, and said discussion at NU centers too much on people gathering to affirm their own viewpoints rather than engaging in
legitimate exchange with each other. “The real questions that we need to be asking about this political situation are political questions,” he said. Kontorovich explained he believes Israel has not violated international law, saying “the most honest answer to 90 percent of international legal questions (is) it’s not clear,” because international law does not have the same legal standards as U.S. law. Wilson Shirley, the head of NU’s chapter of the Alexander Hamilton Society said the event was important in bringing new perspectives to the debate. “That’s really exciting when you get … people who don’t agree with each other and care about an issue to talk about the issue,” the Weinberg senior said. “I don’t think we get enough actual debate on campuses anymore.” colbyfalconer2015@u.northwestern.edu
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The best science advocates aren’t scientists Sai Folmsbee
Daily columnist
On Friday, former television host and science advocate Bill Nye will speak at Northwestern. He is one of only a few Americans who could be described as a science celebrity, beloved by schoolchildren and nostalgic millennials alike. He has built a career on promoting science and critical thinking, from television appearances on climate change to books on evolution. But why are there so few science activists as successful as Nye? For Nye, science is not his career, but rather advocacy itself. This distinction is exactly why scientists themselves make for poor promoters of science. Interestingly, Nye has very little scientific training. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, but does not have a PhD or any formal graduate training. There are likely undergraduate and graduate students currently at NU who have more scientific training than Nye. But despite this apparent dearth of
qualifications, Nye has accomplished a great deal for science, namely his television show “Bill Nye, the Science Guy,” a tour de force of science entertainment that aired for five years. Its very name triggers fond memories of primary science education, a rare chance for children to actually enjoy learning about biology, chemistry or physics. But its lasting success didn’t lie in kid-friendly format, its slapstick humor or its practical experimentation. It’s that Nye created a character that embodied all the best attributes of science, rather than any qualities of scientists themselves. Bill Nye the Science Guy, the scientist-host of the show, has nothing in common with real research scientists, who spend most of their time wading through paperwork to apply for grants or performing repetitive and tedious experiments. Life in the laboratory is drab, monotonous and would make for poor television. Scientific knowledge, though, is fun and interactive, and Nye’s Science Guy really brings out that charm. Perhaps that is why the best scientists, by their very nature, tend to make poor advocates. The top researchers delve deep into the nuances of their fields, which aids in their ability to make groundbreaking discoveries. But this
narrow focus also tends to blind them to the scientific topics important in people’s daily lives. It would be easy to demand scientists become better science activists. Federal funds for research have fallen over the past five years, and scientists have not been able to provide a clear, persistent and persuasive voice to either the governmental agencies that fund them and the public that supports them. Unfortunately, scientists just aren’t very good at this. This illustrates why people like Nye are so important. Nye serves as an excellent role model for anyone interested in science advocacy. He has demonstrated an impressive fearlessness when confronting anti-science propaganda. I’ve written before on his recent creationism-evolution debate, where he was willing to place himself in a position hostile to science. Furthermore, Nye is willing to change his mind as better science and evidence progresses. For the past few years, Nye has made it clear he would not support genetically modified organism (GMO) derived food. However, just last month, he described that after taking time with the scientists working to engineer safe and efficient GMO foods, he is prepared to amend
his previous writing to support GMO crops. Although he is not a scientist, he is following exactly what the scientific method demands: a cold and brutal adherence to the best evidence. He is willing to do this even in the face of public criticism, both from having to admit his own fault and from anti-GMO groups. He proves science should not be dogmatic, and it should also not be vain. Nye may be science’s best ally, but he should not be expected to singlehandedly represent America’s huge community of scientists. Someone needs to defend the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, which spend $7 billion and $30 billion on science each year, respectively. This is what keeps science alive in this country, but because these organizations lack any dedicated advocates, few Americans know what good their tax dollars do. If scientists are too busy with their work to communicate with the public, then they must rely on the skills of individuals like Nye. Sai Folmsbee is a Feinberg graduate student. He can be reached at sai@fsm.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a letter to the editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com.
Course credit reduction Secular stagnation and can make less mean more the global economy Matt gates
Daily columnist
Northwestern students have a love-hate relationship with the quarter system. We can take a larger number of courses than we could at many other schools, allowing us to explore a breadth of subjects and complete second majors, minors and certificates more easily. However, we also find ourselves trapped in an unending cycle of “midterms” that start after only a few weeks of classes and does not stop until finals are readily approaching. Although the fast pace of NU’s courses may be on par with that at other schools that are on the quarter system, the 45 credits required for graduation is not, in many cases. For instance, the University of Chicago only requires 42 credits to graduate. In last week’s Associated Student Government election, each campaign platform included a proposal to reduce the number of credits required to graduate. Several days before students voted, ASG Senate passed a resolution recommending the University take action to implement credit reduction. Although NU students do benefit from the large number of courses they can take using the quarter system, credit reduction could epitomize the saying, “less is more.” In a highly driven culture like NU’s, it is vital that a reduction in the number of courses students take not be seen as a loss to their education or well-being. Fewer courses will mean more time to pour into other crucial areas of life, like extra-curricular activities, social life, employment and, of course, sleep. Countless testimonies on a Tumblr titled “GUESS WHAT: We’ve Dropped Classes” show students found their lives were greatly improved by taking one fewer class. Meanwhile, data collected by ASG found students who dropped a class were likely to report being more able to focus
on their physical and mental health and spend more time on other classes. Considering the recent conversations surrounding student health, this change could be extremely beneficial to NU students. Moreover, taking more courses does not always equate to more learning. I believe I am not alone in observing how the unending string of midterms at NU can lead students down a cycle of cramming and memorizing information for exam day and then forgetting it all as they move on to the next week’s midterm. Decreasing the number of credits required to graduate may also play a role in making NU more affordable. Provided that a student completes the University residence requirement, he or she can save money through early graduation. Currently, students might even choose to take five courses in one or multiple quarters in order to graduate early. Reducing the number of credits required to graduate might make this option more feasible. Moreover, learning in college goes beyond the classroom, particularly in areas such as journalism and theater. As ASG’s Academic Committee noted, over a third of students spend more than 10 hours a week on extracurricular activities. Meanwhile, many students are employed, sometimes through work study, on top of taking classes. Taking fewer classes might enable students to spend more time learning outside the classroom. I anticipate few students will look back wishing they had taken a couple more electives during their time at NU instead of socializing and learning outside the classroom. Credit reduction would be a step toward the goal espoused for NU students during Wildcat Welcome: Understanding an education goes beyond a degree, a transcript and a couple extra courses. Matt Gates is a Weinberg sophomore. He can be reached at matthewgates2017@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com.
The Daily Northwestern Volume 135, Issue 102 Editor in Chief Sophia Bollag
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Burak Sekerci
Daily columnist
On Tuesday, the International Monetary Fund presented the World Economic Outlook, a twice-yearly document that concentrates on the world’s economic performance. The IMF depicted a rather pessimistic scenario: The United States, Germany and Japan, the rich kids on the block, should expect lower growth rates than their pre-recession levels. According to Financial Times, this gloomy outlook will reignite economists’ fears that the world will experience low growth rates for some prolonged amount of time because of what today’s economists call “secular stagnation.” But what is secular stagnation? Secular stagnation was first proposed by Alvin Hansen, a Keynesian economist, during the Great Depression era. He argued that depressed economies face slowing growth as savings increase, leaving less resources available for consumption and, more importantly, for investment. Hansen also suggested innovation was slowing and populations were aging, which doomed the slumping economies of 1930s to an endless stagnation. Well, this never happened: In the period after World War II, the economy boomed, consumption increased, technological breakthroughs were made and baby boomers came into the workforce. Today’s version of secular stagnation suggested by the former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers is not much different. It consists of the same guidelines Hansen provided, but adds the discussion of interest rates and the zero lower bound. Just like in the 1930s, saving rates are high, investment is low and rich-country populations are aging. Summers argues that, due to secular stagnation, the real interest rate that will balance investment and saving is now naturally lower than it was in the past and is even negative. Because the Federal Reserve cannot lower nominal interest rates under zero, this new negative natural real interest rate is very hard to adjust toward. In fact, because we can’t achieve this target, the economy stagnates as investment comes short of savings, decreasing the U.S. output. In addition, our populations are aging, the labor force is diminishing and most big companies do not need big investments to grow, leading to our modern model of stagnation. However, Ben Bernanke, the former U.S. Federal Reserve chairman during the financial crisis, believes the new negative natural real interest rate can not stay forever and disagrees with Summers. A negative real interest rate should mean every investment would be profitable, and thus having negative interest rates
for a long time is theoretically implausible. Bernanke suggests the low interest rates are caused by “global saving glut,” which means countries like China and Germany increase savings by accumulating foreign exchange reserves, and then buy American bonds. He also suggests that as Europe slumps, capital will flow out outward and likely land on U.S. soil. These factors would drive down interest rates, appreciate the dollar and increase the trade deficit, slowing growth. Regardless of which explanation is correct, it is obvious the world economies are stagnating and the economic environment more or less resembles the environment back in the 1930s. I believe that the stagnation that the world is experiencing right now is explained a little partly by both sides of the argument. Populations, mostly in Europe and Japan, are ageing, but this should not affect growth immediately. Also, new innovations in the future will increase our productivity and will open up new doors for humanity. However, the “global saving glut” is not just an idea — it is a reality right now. The It dollar is strengthening against most is obvious foreign currencies, the world making it harder to export goods and economies are easier to import. stagnating and... Less products will be resemble the produced for export from the United environment States, thus reducing back in the output and growth. This is where the two 1930s. sides collide: The problem is caused by secular stagnation in places like Europe, not by other countries’ controlled exchange policies. Although these two economists represent two different sides, according to the Washington Post the solution is the same for their problems: Raise the inflation target above the 2 percent levels. The “global saving glut” will be fixed by a depreciating dollar, and the secular stagnation will be fixed when the real interest rates are pushed to the natural negative level. We should be worried, but we shouldn’t be pessimistic. All is not lost, and I think that with the correct steps, we can achieve the growth levels seen before the recent recession. Mankind has not reached its final frontiers; we can still make innovations that will carry us forward, and it is our generation that will make the next leap.
“
Burak Sekerci is a McCormick sophomore. He can be reached at buraksekerci2017@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern. com.
6 NEWS | the daily northwestern
Wednesday, april 15, 2015
National News
Global Engagement Summit’s 10th conference begins this week
Low-wage workers plan walkouts, protests to gain $15 hourly pay WASHINGTON — Heartened by growing support for their cause and recent pay hikes by large corporate employers, America’s low-wage workers will continue their fight for higher pay Wednesday with protests, rallies and one-day walkouts scheduled in more than 200 cities. The actions are expected to attract thousands of participants in what organizers are calling the “most widespread mobilization ever by U.S. workers seeking higher pay.� Fast food cooks and cashiers are expected to strike in 230 cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, St. Louis, Kansas City, Mo., and Raleigh, N.C. The growing effort to boost the wages and bargaining clout of workers in non-union establishments took off in November 2012, when 200 fast food employees in New York City left their jobs in protest, calling for $15 hourly wages and the right to unionize. Since then, strong financial support from the Service Employees International Union has helped the “ Fight for 15� movement expand to home care workers, retail employees, child care workers, airport service workers and even adjunct college professors seeking $15,000 per course. International protesters, in solidarity with their U.S. counterparts, will march in more than 100 cities in 35 countries, organizers say. That includes a one-day walkout by fast food workers in New Zealand and by restaurant, hotel and tourism workers in Italy. Experts say the growth, organization and sweep of the “Fight for 15� movement is unique. “In my lifetime, it’s relatively unprecedented,� said Harry Holzer, a professor of public policy at Georgetown University who’s an expert on the lowwage labor market. Following the loss of more than 8 million jobs in the Great Recession, the Occupy Wall Street movement helped channel the public’s growing anger at perceived corporate greed in the financial services sector. Fight for 15 is an extension of that movement, seeking financial and social justice for perceived economic inequalities, said Sylvia Allegretto, an economist at the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley. “Low-wage workers really paid the price for the Great Recession brought to you by the wizards of Wall Street who are now booming,� Allegretto said. “CEO pay is back to being hundreds of times more than what the typical worker makes. Corporate profits are doing very well. And these workers are saying ‘Wait a minute. What about us?’ � Critics warn that raising wages for low-skilled workers might lead employers to eliminate positions or cut hours for the very people the higher pay is
Students from all over the world will be coming to Northwestern this week for the annual Global Engagement Summit, a student-run conference centered on social entrepreneurship celebrating its 10th anniversary. The purpose of the summit is to “educate the next generation of social change leaders,� said GES content development co-chair Diego Henriquez-Garcia, a Weinberg junior. “Everyone who comes has some sort of social change idea.� GES invites both national and international students, or “delegates,� to apply to attend the conference. GES staff, which is made up of more than 70 students, also reached out to professionals in the social change sector to be mentors for the delegates. Delegates come to the summit with an idea that they are already working on, or an idea in mind, and GES staff and mentors give them the guidance and advice they need to move forward. At the summit, delegates will attend workOur shops and short talks, programming which are similar to Ted Talks. This year’s speakers is focused on include David Wachtel, Kevin Coval and Michael building the tangible skills Fry.Wachtel, senior vice that help our president for marketing, communications and delegates partnerships at Endeavor, develop their a global entrepreneurial non-profit, will talk about projects. the role that entrepreJocie Padgen, neurs play in job creation, Communication particularly in emerging senior market countries. Coval, author, artistic director and founder of Louder Than A Bomb, the largest youth poetry festival in the world, will speak about bringing attention to marginalized voices. Fry, Emmynominated associate professor at Columbia College Chicago, will focus on what the media teaches about culture and representation. “Our programming is focused on building the tangible skills that help our delegates develop their projects,� said Communication senior Jocie Padgen. Padgen is one of the American Delegates co-chairs, which recruit, select and prepare delegates for the conference. This year’s summit marks the first time in GES history the majority of the international delegates are from African countries. Delegates’ projects focus on a wide range of topics, focusing on youth education in Tanzania, GPS trackers to limit kidnappings in Malaysia and advocacy work for LGBT immigration and asylum. — Emily Chin
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designed to help. The Employment Policies Institute, a research organization, on Tuesday launched a new website, “ The Faces of $15,� that highlights businesses that had to raise prices, change policies or close because of $15 hourly wages. Laura Rollins, a part-time McDonald’s restaurant worker in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., said her pay would rise $1 an hour – to $9.45 – in July, when a newly announced pay increase for company employees kicks in. After walking off the job in a similar wage protest last year, Rollins, 63, said she’d continue to fight for $15 an hour, in spite of the recent raise. “We’re going to win this, because McDonald’s is going to sooner or later realize that we’re not playing,� Rollins said. “We are real and we are serious and we are the people. And our voices have got to be heard.� In a statement, McDonald’s spokeswoman Lisa McComb said the company’s $1 hourly raise was “an important and meaningful first step as we continue to look at opportunities that will make a difference for employees.� As for the walkouts planned for Wednesday, McComb added: “We respect people’s right to peacefully protest, and our restaurants remain open every day with the focus on providing an exceptional experience for our customers.� From 2003 to 2013, inflation-adjusted wages for the bottom 70 percent of U.S. workers either were flat or declined, according to the labor institute at Cal Berkeley. While there’s been movement lately – such as recent pay hikes by McDonald’s and other large employers such as Target, Wal-Mart and the discount retailer TJX – the pay of most low-wage workers still lags far behind inflation. The push for $15 an hour, however, has helped spur public action to address the problem. San Francisco, Seattle and SeaTac, Wash., have adopted $15 an hour minimum wages. Similar campaigns are underway in the cities of Los Angeles, Washington and New York. A new report by the National Employment Law Project, an advocacy organization, found that 42 percent of U.S. workers earn less than $15 an hour. And six occupations with median hourly wages of less than $15 are among the 10 slated to add the most jobs in coming years. They are retail salespeople, food preparation and service workers, freight and stock workers, janitors, nursing assistants and home care workers. “If we want an economy that is balanced and shares prosperity fairly, we must raise wages in these sectors so that they can serve as cornerstones to rebuilding our nation’s disappearing middle class,� said Christine Owens, executive director of the National Employment Law Project. Shalove Lawrence of Atlanta has been a personal care worker for more than 15 years. She just got a 24-cent hourly raise – to $7.49 – after more than six years with the same company. In caring for older, disabled and chronically ill
patients, Lawrence, who’s 39, typically works seven straight days from 2 to 10 p.m., followed by a week off. In her spare time, she does housekeeping and other odd jobs to make ends meet, leaving little time to spend with her 10-year-old daughter, Tylar. “I have people that I take care of, maybe go take them to the store or go and clean their house. Little stuff that’ll help me to be able to pay my bills,� Lawrence said. “But I shouldn’t have to go and do that. . . I can’t even do special things with my daughter. She’s 10 now. She should be able to enjoy her mom on times when I don’t have to work, and we can’t even do that.� Because of her low pay, Lawrence qualifies for food stamps, which have become a lifeline for many low-wage workers. A new report by the labor institute at Cal Berkeley found that 10.3 million families that have at least one family member who works receive food stamps through the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. However, Michael Saltsman, research director at the Employment Policies Institute, said anecdotal evidence suggested businesses were increasing prices and that some were even closing in San Francisco and Oakland, where the minimum wage was recently increased. One Bay Area restaurant eliminated tipping when it instituted the pay increase, which Saltsman said would leave employees earning less than they did before the raise. He said public policy should instead look for ways to help low-wage workers without putting minimum-wage, entry-level jobs at risk. “That’s the most important thing: making sure those job pathways continue to exist,� Saltsman said. As the demand for higher wages continues, Holzer, of Georgetown University, said he didn’t think the movement would find success in lifting pay for all the sectors it represented. The tightening job market, which is partly responsible for the recent wave of corporate pay increases, will continue to nudge wages higher for low-paid workers, Holzer said. “But they’re not going to have a lot of really quick successes beyond a lot of these $1 or $2 raises, I don’t think,� Holzer said. Efforts to unionize aren’t likely to succeed, either, because of the difficulty involved and the fact that private-sector unionism has been declining for more than 60 years. “I don’t see that turning around,� Holzer said. What might develop, however, is a robust social movement of low-wage workers across various industries that could become a political force that lobbies for various issues. “Once they’ve figured out how to organize workers in a movement, though not necessarily a union, they have to think about what they’re going to do with that organizational skill,� Holzer said. “What’s their plan B?� — Tony Pugh (McClatchy Washington Bureau/TNS)
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Wednesday, April 15, 2015
Lobby
From page 1 during the group’s discussion with Rauner, said Gretchen Livingston, president of the District 202 board. Livingston went to Lobby Day with the intention of sharing with legislators criticisms of the “ill-conceived” Senate bill that would lose the combined two Evanston school districts $6 million to $8 million per year, she said. Other city officials who attended included representatives from Evanston’s business district, the parks and recreation board and the health department, Capriccioso said. Five students from NU’s Associated Student Government who went to the state capitol with the group were able to touch on campusrelated topics, such as sustainability initiatives, said Kenny Mok, ASG vice president of B-status finances. They discussed the recent coal divestment referendum with the director of the environmental protection agency, he said. However, the bulk of their time was spent observing and supporting discussion of Evanston issues, he said. “We really got to talk to (city officials) all
DU
Baseball
day and see them ask questions to legislators,” Mok said. “A lot of the things we do in ASG support Evanston, things like the Divvy bikes that we’re working on … We’re always in talks with Evanston about these issues.” We really got But one of the to talk to (city most important parts officials) all day of the trip happens the capiand see them outside tol, Ald. Jane Groask questions to ver (7th) said. Most of the community legislators. building happened Kenny Mok, on the bus ride to ASG vice president and from Springfield, of B-status finances she said. “A lot of good stuff happens on that bus,” Grover said. “Three hours down, three hours back. It’s getting to know everybody from all walks of Evanston.”
return to campus,” Rose said in an email to The Daily. “The organization is committed to being full partners in the learning experience for its members. We are confident the chapter will be expertly directed.” The Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Association were also involved in the recommendation to approve DU’s return to campus, said IFC President Mark Nelson, a Weinberg junior. “As a member of a chapter that was re-founded my freshman year, I’m very excited,” said Nelson, who is a brother at Sigma Nu. “It’s a great opportunity to add something more to the community as the chapter brings its own little flavor.” The DU alumni board has maintained relationships with the more than 2,000 DU alums from NU and hosted two reunion events at Homecoming during the suspension period. “My affiliation with DU helped me to develop as an individual, learn leadership skills and to live on campus independently,” Horner said.
juliajacobs2018@u.northwestern.edu
aliceyin2017@u.northwestern.edu
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Across Campuses Community colleges commit to more overseas students CHICAGO — Despite the fact that they don’t play football, basketball or soccer, Sergio da Silva and Armindo Goncalves were hotly recruited by Joliet Junior College. The two young men arrived on campus in January, leaving behind their island home in the South Pacific _ a leap of faith, considering they are the first members of their respective families to ever board an airplane, much less pursue higher education. “Right away, we learned that we should have brought socks,” said da Silva, 20, who is studying agri-business. The duo represent a new push by community colleges nationwide to attract students from not just around the block, but from around the world. No longer content to be known as sleepy commuter schools, these two-year institutions are hiring international coordinators, attending overseas college fairs and setting lofty enrollment goals in
places far beyond their surrounding ZIP codes. A culturally diverse student body is an essential component for success in an era of increased globalization, experts said. But there’s another payoff as well: Foreign students pay three to four times as much in tuition as their district peers. “Most countries don’t have a community college system, so they are sending students here for training,” said Karen Hunter Anderson, executive director of the Illinois Community College Board. “It helps globalize our campuses, but it’s also an extra revenue source. It’s a win-win for everybody.” While foreign students have flocked to fouryear U.S. colleges _ more than 886,052 international students were enrolled in 2013-2014, up 40 percent over the past decade, according to the Institute of International Education (IIE) _ community colleges are just beginning to catch up. There were almost 88,000 foreign students nationwide at community colleges on student visas last year, about an 8 percent increase over the past decade, with almost 20 schools hosting 1,000 or more international students, according to IIE. None of the top destinations are in Illinois, but
From page 1
Anderson said that should change, as more people become familiar with the third largest community college system in the U.S. “People are discovering what we have here,” said Anderson, who just returned from a trip to Cuba to help raise the profile of the state’s 48 community colleges. Still, evidence of an impending boom is everywhere. A few years ago, Joliet Junior College had two students from overseas. This semester, 14 are on campus _ a number projected to double by next year, according to Dayna Crabb, the school’s international student services coordinator. Crabb, who was hired in 2013, attributes the growth to an emerging middle class and a lack of capacity in their own countries. She went on a recruiting trip to Vietnam, Thailand and New Zealand last fall and considers Southeast Asia “the next hot market.” Other factors that make community colleges an increasingly popular option include small class size, skills-oriented curriculum and affordability _ the same reason that has attracted American students.
Northwestern looks to gain ground against streaking UIC Northwestern vs. UIC Chicago 6 p.m. Wednesday
Northwestern will get a wonderful view of the Chicago skyline Wednesday when the team heads to Curtis Granderson Stadium for a midweek matchup with UIC. NU has defeated UIC four consecutive times dating back to 2012. However, the Wildcats are currently slumping with losses in five of their last six games. During that stretch, NU averaged 3.8 runs per game in the last six games. After scoring 13 runs in the first 12 innings of last weekend’s series at Michigan State, the Cats were held to three runs in the final 15 innings. For the most part, NU has gotten great production from the heart of its lineup this season. Senior centerfielder Kyle Ruchim has been among the Big Ten’s better players, leading the conference in doubles and sitting second in slugging percentage. Senior catcher Scott Heelan and junior first baseman Zach Jones are also among the league leaders two-baggers. Five NU players are hitting .286 or better. UIC, which leads the Horizon League, is riding a hot streak. The Flames have won 10 of their last 12 games entering Tuesday’s game against Northern Illinois. In those 12 games, the Flames have tossed three shutouts, and an opponent has scored more than four runs just once. UIC’s bullpen has been dominant during that stretch with a 2.27 ERA and a .239 opponent batting average. The first pitch for Wednesday’s game is slated for 6 p.m.
— Bonnie Miller Rubin (Chicago Tribune/TNS)
— Jesse Kramer
The Daily Northwestern Spring 2015 | An independent voice since 1923 | Evanston, Ill. ___________________
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Lacrosse 16 NU at Notre Dame, 6 p.m. Thursday
APR.
I’m definitely ready. I came to Northwestern to play big time football. — Godwin Igwebuike, redshirt freshman safety
Wednesday, April 15, 2015
@DailyNU_Sports
NU aims to rebound against Notre Dame Assessing By Max gelman
the daily northwestern
After succumbing to a Minnesota sweep, which included getting no-hit Sunday, Northwestern will look to get back on track Wednesday against No. 25 Notre Dame (33-11, 13-5 ACC) in South Bend, Indiana. The Wildcats (20-14, 8-3 Big Ten) are coming off their first three conference losses of the season last weekend after dropping three games to the No. 15 Golden Gophers (33-7, 9-3). NU fell from first to third in Big Ten standings and now sits behind Michigan (37-6, 10-2) and Minnesota. Notre Dame is in the middle of a 19-game winning streak and in third place in the ACC, following Florida State (34-11, 14-3) and North Carolina (31-10, 13-3). But coach Kate Drohan isn’t focusing on the toughness of the opponent. “The biggest key for us has nothing to do with Notre Dame,” Drohan said. “It’s all about our mentality and if we’re able to bounce back after our weekend against Minnesota.” Drohan continued, praising the team’s recent play. “We’ve played some really good softball for well over a month, but we stubbed our toe last weekend,” Drohan said. “It’s about how we play the game and approach the game mentally.” Junior second baseman Brianna LeBeau echoed her coach’s sentiments and thinks NU can definitely improve in time for Wednesday’s game. “We really need to focus on making adjustments,” LeBeau said. “Something that went wrong in the Minnesota series was (failure) to make an adjustment. Some things just weren’t working out.” Senior Olivia Duehr said what happens early in the game will go a long way in the result against the Fighting Irish.
Northwestern vs. No. 25 Notre Dame South Bend, Indiana 5 p.m. Wednesday
“Focusing on getting the first out of every inning and scoring first (is important) just to gain momentum right away,” Duehr said. “If we can do that, we’ll have a really good chance.” Additionally, Duehr, who is normally an outfielder, entered the pitcher’s circle for the first time in her career against Minnesota. Duehr made two relief appearances in the series, but she hopes that she won’t
need to fill a mop-up role again anytime soon. Despite Duehr’s seeming reluctance, Drohan was more enthusiastic as to whether she would pitch again this season. “That will likely be a game-bygame decision,” Drohan said. “I love her attitude out there, and I love what she can do for this program.” On the offensive side, NU’s hot streak abruptly ended last weekend against Minnesota. Duehr is confident the Minnesota series is in the rearview mirror. “That comes with the game itself,” Duehr said. “Everyone goes through
slumps, everyone goes through streaks. So I think that that’s behind us now and we’re moving forward.” Drohan also isn’t worried about NU’s offensive output, even though the Cats were no-hit in their last game. “I’m not concerned,” Drohan said. “I have as much faith in this offense … no, I have more faith in this offense, than any other offense I’ve coached at Northwestern.” NU’s midweek matchup against Notre Dame begins at 5 p.m. at Melissa Cook Stadium. maxgelman2018@u.northwestern.edu
Softball
Brian Lee/Daily Senior Staffer
THROWN FOR A LOOP Junior pitcher Kristen Wood winds up for a pitch. Northwestern’s staff struggled last weekend against Minnesota, surrendering 31 runs in three games.
Defense solidifies as spring practice ends By bobby pillote
daily senior staffer @BobbyPillote
Northwestern wrapped up its spring practice schedule Saturday, and despite some uncertainties on the defensive side of the ball the Wildcats feel good about their stop unit ahead of training camp. NU lost linebacker Collin Ellis and safety Ibraheim Campbell, the two anchors of the defense, after the 2014 season. Stepping up to take their places are two redshirt freshmen who played sparingly last year, but linebacker Anthony Walker and safety Godwin Igwebuike both seem confident in their ability to take on a starting role. “I think Collin Ellis really helped prepare me and develop me last year,” Walker said. “My No. 1 goal is to be the best linebacker when I leave Northwestern.” Only time will tell if Walker is able to advance NU’s tradition of excellent linebackers, but he certainly got off to a good start last year. Appearing in all 12 games, he recorded 51 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Igwebuike likewise shined in limited playing time last season, appearing in 11 contests and tying the team high of three interceptions, which all came in the Cats’ Oct. 4 upset of then-No. 17 Wisconsin. It comes as no surprise that Igwebuike shares Walker’s enthusiasm for the coming season. “I’m definitely ready,” Igwebuike said. “I came to Northwestern to play big time football.” The pair will form the heart of the defense in 2015, and their transition should be eased by plenty of players returning around them.
The veteran duo of cornerbacks junior Nick VanHoose and sophomore Matthew Harris will hold down the outside, giving Igwebuike free range to play over the top and roam the middle of the field. “I’m going into my fifth year, I’ve been here a long time,” VanHoose said. “I definitely know the defense well.” And in the front seven, Walker will be playing behind a deep and experienced defensive line that may be the best position group for NU. That front is anchored by juniors Dean
Lowry, Max Chapman and Deonte Gibson, a trio that had a combined six sacks and 69 tackles last season, and will be bolstered in 2015 by the return of senior Sean McEvilly, who missed all of 2014 with an injury. “I think we’re very talented,” Lowry said. “We have a good mix of experience and young talent.” The key for the Cats will be bringing the pieces together. Injuries hamstrung the defense in 2014, with Campbell and Ellis missing a combined 10 starts, and
NU ranked 54th in yards allowed per game last season as a result. A better effort will likely be needed in 2015 if the team hopes to return to a bowl game with a first-year starter at quarterback. Nothing is set at the end of spring practice, but even with some new faces in place, the Cats’ stop unit appears to be on an upward trajectory. Stephanie Kelly contributed reporting. bpillote@u.northwestern.edu
Football
Daily file photo by Nathan Richards
FEEL GOOD INC. Anthony Walker wraps up a ballcarrier and forces a fumble. The redshirt freshman linebacker will play a more prominent role in Northwestern’s defense next season.
postseason prospects bobby pillote
Daily sports @bobbypillote
It’s a good spring for Northwestern sports. The baseball team is limping to the finish line of coach Paul Stevens’ career with a 9-24 record in 2015, men’s golf hasn’t finished in the top half of an event since February and women’s golf has posted middling results recently. But softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and, of course, lacrosse are all poised to make deep runs into the postseason as April turns to May. Softball started sluggishly but won its first eight conference contests, lacrosse has once again excelled against its perennially punishing slate and the tennis teams combined to go 4-0 in their matches over the weekend and are each ranked in the top 30. So which squad has the best shot at bringing home a trophy? Lacrosse seems to be the obvious choice. The team has won seven national titles under coach Kelly Amonte Hiller and, during a year in which the program was supposed to be rebuilding, has battled to a 9-4 record against a schedule that features eight opponents ranked in the top 11. The Wildcats also have star power on their side. The team’s leading scorer is precocious freshman Selena Lasota, who paces the squad with 48 goals and also ranks fifth nationally with a 3.69 goals per game average. It all looks good on paper, but NU will simply have too hard a time besting NCAA Championship-favorite Maryland out on the field. The Cats already battled the No. 1 Terrapins once this season and fell, 16-5, suffering their worst margin of defeat the past two seasons. The road to the inaugural Big Ten women’s lacrosse championship will surely go through Maryland, and the Terrapins are almost a lock to be featured in the NCAA Championship game as well — 2015 simply won’t be NU’s year for lacrosse. Softball faces a similar problem, as the team may simply not be good enough for conference or national championship contention. The eightgame win streak to start conference play was impressive, but the Cats are now 8-3 in the Big Ten after getting swept by No. 15 Minnesota last weekend. The Golden Gophers were one of the toughest tests NU has faced this season, and the Cats lost all three games by a combined 24 runs. The team does not have a win against a ranked opponent this season. That leaves tennis. The men’s squad is on the rise, currently ranked No. 27 with an 18-7 overall record and a 7-2 mark in conference. The team will live or die on the arm of sophomore Sam Shropshire, who is currently the No. 66 singles player and was the Big Ten freshman of the year in 2014. Women’s tennis is likewise ranked No. 27 with an equally excellent record, and the team also has history on its side. NU has never finished worse than second in the Big Ten under coach Claire Pollard. As an added bonus the Cats have the privilege of hosting the conference tournament this year, and NU should turn that home court advantage into another Big Ten championship. NCAA hardware will be harder to capture, but women’s tennis certainly has the best shot. bpillote@u.northwestern.edu