TOP SHELF
A look at some of DePaul’s favorite books Focus, page 14
You’re not ready for this jelly Our picks for this years’ Chicago Museum Week Arts & Life, page 16
2016 Pacemaker award Finalist / Best Weekly College Newspaper-SPJ
Volume #101 | Issue #7 | Oct. 10, 2016 | depauliaonline.com
Highest number of sexual assaults reported By Rachel Hinton Managing Editor
Sexual assault on DePaul’s campus has been a topic of conversation in the past, and that trend will continue this year despite intiatives by the school focusing on sexual and relationship violence prevention. In the 2016 Safety and Security Information Report and Fire Safety Report, 14 sexual assaults across DePaul’s campuses was reported, the highest number of sexual assaults recent history. Michaela Clarke, a sophomore, said she
Presidential search goes beyond tradition
does feel safe on campus but hearing the number was shocking. “It’s ridiculous,” Clarke said. “Hearing that number is shocking especially because I live here. I know it happens, and I don’t want to be desensitized to it, but it’s surprising.” In 2013, there were no sexual assaults reported, according to the report. The number of sex offenses then rose to 11, with nine occurring on campus and two in public. Of that number, eight sexual assaults, also called sex offenses by DePaul, occurred in residential facilities in Lincoln
Park. This year, the 14 sexual assaults all occurred on DePaul’s campuses — 10 of those occurred in Lincoln Park’s residential facilities, one in the University Center, two on the Loop campus and one in public. According to the Rape Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), college aged women are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than a woman not in college. In total, 11.2 percent of all undergraduate and graduate students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence, or incapacitation.
Karen Tamburro, Title IX Coordinator, feels that the increase in the number of reports this year is a sign that members of the DePaul community are aware of the reporting process. “We are aware that even with this increase in number, the Annual Safety and Security Information Report represents only a percentage of incidents that have occurred,” Tamburro said. “Survivors of sexual and relationship violence often hesitate to report incidents because they feel the report may not be taken seriously,
See ASSAULT, page 5
A LOOK AT THE FUTURE
By Rachel Hinton Managing Editor
As students struggle through midterms, DePaul’s presidential search committee is in the throes of asking itself, as well as students, faculty and staff, the traits they would most like to see in the next president. In a push for transparency, presidential search committee chair Jim Ryan and William Bennett, vice chair, invited students, faculty and staff to a forum about the search process. During the hour-long session, Ryan, Bennett and Rev. Ed Udovic, C.M. emphasized that they, and those appointed to the student, faculty and staff vetting committees were searching for the best candidate, regardless of their faith or academic background. Bringing in the best candidates for the presidency has required a change in the search process. The hybrid search format was the result of conversations between the search committee and Witt/ Kieffer. “A lot has changed in the time since we selected Father Holtschneider,” Ryan said. “Most top candidates won’t want to be part of an open search. So that was our challenge. We wanted to create a process that was confidential enough, but still open.” The hybrid search format allows for candidates to come in and go through the search process without “risking relationships at their universities,” Ryan said. Because of this amended process and the work done by Witt/Kieffer and others over the summer, there are already five potential candidates who may be interviewed. The vetting committees will be the voice of DePaul’s students, faculty and staff. DePaul’s mission and values, and finding a candidate who matches those, is at the forefront of the search process
See SEARCH page 8
JACK HIGGINS | THE DEPAULIA
Men’s basketball coach Dave Leitao surveys the construction of the new arena at McCormick Square.
The final beam was placed at the new DePaul arena at McCormick Place on Wednesday. The facility is expected to open September 2017. JACK HIGGINS | THE DEPAULIA
Athletic Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto signs the final beam placed at the top of the new arena.
Complete coverage, page 28