Basketball season tips off
President’s letter to the editor
Men’s and women’s teams off to strong start with two victories Sports, men’s on page 25, women’s on page 28
President Rev. Dennis H. Holtschneider responds to student arena critique Opinions, page 13
Volume #98 | Issue #8 | November 11, 2013 | DePauliaonline.com
New office aims to improve student health
OVER THE RAINBOW
Illinois becomes 15th state to legalize gay marriage
By Jasmine Armand Staff Writer
A passion for the health of the DePaul community is the driving force behind one of the university’s youngest offices. Created in October 2012, the Office of Health Promotion and Wellness’ mission is “to empower the DePaul community to embrace a healthy lifestyle, creating a culture of health and well-being that fosters personal and academic success,” according to director Shannon Lengerich. In 2011, DePaul was infamously ranked dead last at spot 141 in Trojan Condoms’ “Sexual Health Report Card,” which ranks the sexual health resources and information available to students at universities across the country. The 2013 results were released last week and DePaul was ranked 109th, up five spots from last year. The Office of Health Promotion and Wellness offers workshops, resources, presentations and trainings on substance abuse, healthy relationships, sexual health, domestic violence, consent, sexual violence, nutrition and meal planning and physical fitness. Through this office, HIV tests are now available on both campuses once a quarter. “Our approach is grounded in the Public Health Model which includes organized measures that promote health for the entire DePaul population, students, faculty and staff alike,” Lengerich said. The office approaches sexual health and substance use through the harm reduction model, wherein efforts are focused on preventing harm rather than eliminating the use or action itself. For example, per the harm reduction model, some suggestions for safe drinking are that females typically consume three drinks a night and that males consume four, that students pace out their drinks, have a friend let them know when they have had enough, set a number of drinks for the night or just don’t drink at all. In other words, “If you’re going to do it, how can you do it safely?” which Lengerich asked during her presentation of this year’s National College
See HEALTH, page 8
MEGAN DEPPEN | THE DEPAULIA
Senior Nathaniel Iovinelli and junior Ted Daisher celebrate the legalization of same-sex marriage at a community rally in Boystown.
By Megan Deppen Staff Writer
Even the harsh November cold couldn’t dull the proud colors of the rainbow flags billowing in the 7-11 parking lot of Boystown last Thursday night. Equal marriage and gay rights activists huddled together to celebrate their home state, Illinois, becoming the 15th U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage. The Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act that legalized “gay marriage” was passed by Illinois legislators last
Tuesday, Nov. 5. The act, different from the Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act signed in 2011, permits samesex couples and their children access to the same marriage benefits as heterosexual couples. The bill also highlights that no religious organization or facility is required to recognize or perform a religious ceremony if it violates the organization’s beliefs. “Today, the Illinois House put our state on the right side of history,” Illinois Governor Pat Quinn said. The bill takes effect June 1, 2014, and
Quinn has announced that he will sign the bill before the end of November. Quinn recognized Heather Steans, the 7th District Democratic Senator, and Greg Harris, the 13th District Democratic House Representative, who were the two major spokespeople for the bill. “Illinois is a place that embraces all people and today, we are an example for the nation,” Quinn said. DePaul senior Nathaniel Iovinelli was at work at the American Institute for
See MARRIAGE, page 6
Students, city bikers against proposed $25 fee By Mike Bragg Contributing Writer
Riding a bike to campus is a staple for many DePaul students because, among other reasons, it’s free. One Chicago alderwoman wants to change that. Ald. Pat Dowell of the 3rd Ward recently proposed an annual bike registration fee of $25 as an opportunity to capitalize on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to make Chicago one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country. The proposal would require all bicyclists to register their bike with the city and she projects at least $5 million in revenue each year. For some DePaul
If the proposal passes, bikers will have to pay a fee to ride in the city. students, resistance begins with the mention of a fee. “I ride my bike because it’s
free for me,” Peter Sheff, senior, said. “I paid $50 three years ago for my old bike, and I do my own
maintenance — why would I pay someone else because I found a free form of transportation?” The proposal isn’t all about the money, according to Dowell. One condition of the new proposal is that all cyclists would be required to take a “rules of the road” bike safety class. The emergence of the Divvy bikesharing program resulted in a surge of novice bikers on the streets of Chicago, so cyclist education may not be a bad thing for residents, and Emanuel’s expansion of bike lanes in the city is an added rationale for cyclist education. One DePaul student recently
See BIKE TAX, page 4