APRIL 8, 2016
THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892
VOL. 127, ISSUE 37
U of C–backed Art Corridor Discussed at Washington Park Meeting BY ISAAC TRONCOSO SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
The University of Chicago discussed its plans for further development of the Garfield Arts Corridor and reaffirmed its commitment t o ongoi ng community dialogue in a town hall meeting at the Arts Incubator on Garfield Boulevard, hosted by Third Ward A lderman Pat Dowell. Topics of the town hall included cur rent and future housing develop-
ments as well as the Independent Police Review Authority. The majority of the town hall served as a public forum to discuss the efforts the University has been making to invest in the neighborhood. The University was represented at t he event by T he a s t er Gates, professor and director of UChicago’s A rts + Public Life initiative, and William Tow ns, the O f f ice of Civ ic Engagement’s assistant vice Continued on page 2
High Rent, Flagging Participation Prompts Departure of Local Arts Space BY FENG YE NEWS STAFF
The Southside Hub of Production (SHoP) moved out of Hyde Park at the end of last month because of financial difficulties. SHoP is an independent community arts and social hub that houses art projects to create an informal learning center for children and adults. Its predecessor was the Op Shop, founded in 2009. From 2009 to 2011, the Op Shop ran four different storefronts in Hyde Park. Through a deal with the landlords for temporary use at a nominal
rental fee, the arts organization paid amounts ranging from one dollar to Mac Realty to $500 to the University. It raised money after each project through crowdsourcing websites such as Kickstarter and IndieGoGo. In 2011, Op Shop was renamed SHoP. It stayed in the Fenn House Mansion for two years, and then moved to the old O’Gara and Wilson Bookstore on 57th Street for 10 months. At the mansion, SHoP was able to pay its lease by renting out artist studios on the top floor and by running a thrift shop. At the bookstore, SHoP was at first able to stay Continued on page 4
Divestment Resolution Presented to CC as Debate Continues BY EMILY FEIGENBAUM & ALEX WARD SENIOR NEWS REPORTERS
Students calling on the University to divest from 10 companies they see as complicit in Israeli human rights abuses presented their resolution at an unusually long and well-attended College Council (CC) meeting Tuesday. As a vote on the resolution approaches, students on both sides of the issue are presenting their case, both before CC and around campus. On Tuesday, College Council (CC) convened for its weekly general meeting at 7:30 p.m. CC Chair Eric Holmberg began the meeting and noted that attendance was
significantly higher than usual. The meeting, which typically lasts about 30 minutes, continued past 10:30 p.m. as both proponents and opponents of the U of C Divest movement argued over whether or not the University should stop investing in companies that the resolution says profit from the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In their 15-minute presentation, U of C Divest presenters urged CC to change the University’s “shameful history of non-divestment,” citing its refusal to divest from South Africa and Darfur. “If this school’s College Council votes to divest, we will join a rapidly increasing number of American Continued on page 3
Ahona Mukherjee
Zoe Kaiser
President Obama discussed his nomination of Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court yesterday at the Law School.
Obama Returns to Law School to Discuss Supreme Court Nomination BY EMILY FEIGENBAUM SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
P resident Obama v isited the L aw S chool yesterday afternoon to discuss his nomination of Illinois native Judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court and the resistance of Republican senators to giving Garland a hearing and vote. Security descended on the D’Angelo Law Library for the event, and the northern approach to the build ing was blocked by a long row of CTA
BY GREG ROSS MAROON CONTRIBUTOR
UChicago researchers have joined a consortium of regional research institutions, private enterprise, and government organizations to play a prominent role in Current, a new Chicago-based public-private initiative that aims to take on today’s most pressing water challenges. Current hopes to “advance the efficiency and resiliency of water systems, develop and deploy innovative water technology solutions to safeguard
Carl William Eisendrath Distinguished Service Professor in Chemistry, heads the initiative. “ This is a very exciting time for the Water Research Initiative as we evolve from its launch phase to ongoing, la rger-sca le resea rch hor izons,” he said. This is not the first time UChicago resea rchers have dipped their toes into water research. In 2013, UChicago and Ben-Gurion University in Israel formed a partnership to advance water innovation. Unlike Chicago, Israel is not
Pair of Conference Foes Loom for No. 5 Maroons
Contributing to THE MA ROON
Men’s Tennis Squad will look to take down a pair of UAA rivals: No. 6 Case Western and No. 13 Wash U.
“We witness a ritual in which imagination triumphs over circumstance.”
Professor Robert Pape discusses global terrorism.
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c le a n wat e r a nd i mpr o v e wastewater treatment, and d r ive increased investment and employment in the water industry,” according to a press release. The Institute of Molecular Eng ineer ing ( I M E )’s Water Research Initiative is pursuing several projects that focus on improving the functionality of water systems. A few of the initiative’s projects include chemical techniques to remove water contaminants, advanced filtration technologies, and research on underground water aquifers. Steven J. Sibener,
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B e fo r e e n g a g i n g i n a n i nter v iew w ith L aw S chool professor David Strauss, the President commended the law student attendees for thei r honorable professiona l pu rsuits. “ To stay engaged, get involved, make a difference. It doesn’t mean you have to run for off ice, doesn’t mean you even have to work for government. There are a lot of ways of serving, but I do hope that one of the th ings you ta ke away from our discussion to-
UChicago Joins City-Wide Push for Water Research
26 Years Later, Paris is Burning Still Rages On
Uncommon Interview
buses and city dump trucks. Wel l- d ressed law student s , r ep or t er s , a nd Un iver s it y personalities crowded into the first f loor of the building. Law students, faculty, and press gathered in the Harold J. Green Law Lounge to hear the President speak. Notable attendees included S enator Dick Durbin, Representative Bobby Rush, Representative Bi l l Foster, R epresentative Mike Quigley, Illinois Attorney G enera l L isa Mad igan, and former Senior Advisor to the President David Axelrod.
the Sketch Page 10 From Chicago Latino Film Festival to UChicago Night at the Art Institute, the Arts editors provide some exciting weekend suggestions.
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