DE Since 1916
Daily Egyptian TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2015 VOLUME 99 ISSUE 25
Special prosecutor requested in Varughese death Sam Beard
@SamBeard_DE | Daily Egyptian
Jackson County State’s Attorney Michael Carr requested Monday that a special prosecutor review his findings in the death of Pravin Varughese. “[My request for a Special Prosecutor] is being made in an effort to avoid even the appearance that my decisions have been made unfairly or improperly,” Carr’s request said. Varughese, an SIU student, was
reported missing in February 2014 and found dead five days later in a wooded area in the 1400 block of East Main Street near Buffalo Wild Wings. The first autopsy stated Pravin’s body had abrasions consistent with being found in a wooded area and the cause of death was environmental hypothermia. The death certificate stated the manner of death was accidental. After seeing his bruised body, the funeral director suggested the family
obtain an additional autopsy. It found the underlying cause of death to be blunt force trauma. The family filed a civil lawsuit, alleging Gaege Bethune—the person believed to be the last one to see Varughese—was responsible for his death. Carr announced last week that a grand jury chose not to indict Bethune for the death of Varughese. Please see VARUGHESE · 2
Chancellor search committee to narrow applicants this month Luke Nozicka
@LukeNozicka | Daily Egyptian
The group searching for the campus’ next chancellor has sent out about 70 letters of interest, and hopes to have a full-time chancellor chosen by the beginning of summer. Chancellor Search Advisory Committee cochair Carl Flowers, director of the Rehabilitation Institute, said the committee may narrow the pool of applicants down to its top eight to 10 candidates at its next meeting on March 20. Committee co-chair Meera Komarraju, chairwoman of the Department of Psychology, said while the 18-person group—which has met three times—has not started looking closely at applications, it wants to find someone who can build a good relationship with the university’s faculty. “Someone... who would be a positive, visionary and engaging leader,” said Komarraju, who, with Flowers, was on the most recent presidential search committee that led to the hiring of Randy Dunn. Komarraju said the university has advertised for the position, which is still open to internal and external applicants, in:
The Chronicle of Higher Education, a newspaper subscribed to by more than 64,000 academics, according to its website. “The position will be available July 1, 2015, or as negotiated,” according to a Jan. 30 post on the Chronicle’s Jobs on Vitae. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, a 31-yearold newsmagazine, which provides, “news, information... on the full range of issues concerning diversity in American higher education,” according to its website. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, a magazine published biweekly, which, “covers events, news, and ongoing trends that affect our multicultural institutions of the 21st century,” according to its website. Flowers, who does not know how much money the university has spent to advertise for the position, said at least the top two or three candidates will be invited for on-campus, open forum interviews. “All nominations and applications will be held in confidence except for finalists,” according to the job posting on the Chronicle. People interested in applying for or nominating someone for the position are encouraged to contact Flowers, Komarraju or John Haller, who is covering duties of the vice president for academic affairs.
C arrington S pireS • D aily e gyptian Ernestine Hughlett straightens Sol Lopez’s hoodie as they lead the “Selma 50: Remember, Recommit, Restore”commemorative walk Monday in Carbondale. The event celebrated the march from Selma to Montgomery, which helped secure the Voting Rights Act of 1965. “We were trying to portray that we will not forget what our forefathers and sisters went through to get our voting rights,” Hughlett said. The walk began at the Eurma Hayes Center and ended at City Hall where voter registration and further presentations took place. Hughlett stressed that it doesn’t matter who is running for what as long as they understand the importance of voting. “They have to have a voice in order to make someone want to vote for them,” she said. “They have to believe in something in order to vote for something.”
Selma is remembered 50 years later Tyler Davis
@TDavis_DE | Daily Egyptian
People took to Carbondale’s streets Monday to commemorate the historic march that won voting rights for AfricanAmericans. Carbondale citizens remembered the 50th anniversary of the march from Selma, Ala., to Montgomery Ala., which played a role in enacting the Voting Rights Act of 1965. They walked from the Eurma C. Hayes Center to Carbondale City Hall. The event, hosted by the AfricanAmerican Museum of Southern Illinois, brought out about 25 participants. D. Gorton, of Carbondale, said he participated in the momentous march to Montgomery a half-century ago and the one that took place Monday. “I would have never predicted that 50 years later people would remember it,” he said. “I was 23 years old and didn’t know much about the way history worked.” Gorton, who was a student at the University of Mississippi at the time, said he joined the civil rights movement after seeing the discrimination against AfricanAmericans at voting polls. Randy Burnside, a speaker at the reception that followed the march, said voting discrimination still exists, citing the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in the Shelby County v. Holder case. The decision—which was 5-4 in favor Shelby County, Ala.—nullified Section IV of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The decision ended the “preclearance” requirement that forced municipalities with histories of discrimination to get approval of changes in voting procedures.
Now, a town that restricted voting rights of black people in the past will not need federal clearance to change rules at the polls. “It takes away the checks that were there to ensure that discriminatory practices were not taking place,” Burnside said. President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder criticized the decision for weakening the nation’s most effective civil rights legislation, but the court said the preclearance rule was outdated. Burnside said voter identification laws in some state have kept polling discrimination alive. He cites an October report by the Government Accountability Office, which found that most people turned away at polls were non-whites and under the age of 24. “People with money are going to be able to vote, people with influence are going to be able to vote. Who do these laws impact the most?” he said. “Younger people and people of color and poor people.” Burnside urged Congress to take action to reverse restrictions on voting. “The Voting Rights Act is governed by Congress and it has to be renewed,” he said. “Congress can pass legislation at any time to protect the rights of voters.” But at least one state representative does not believe the problem lies with the law. Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said having valid identification is not too much to ask of potential voters. “You have to have identification to get on an airplane, you have to have two forms of identifications to get license plates,” she said. “We’re still arguing whether or not a person should have to prove who they are to exercise one of the
greatest rights in this country? I don’t understand why that’s a problem.” Bryant said she planned to walk with the group commemorating the anniversary of Selma but could not after she was called to Springfield. She said voter fraud is one reason why identification laws are necessary. However, Burnside said a driver’s license or ID card, which costs $30 in Illinois, is expensive for some people in urban communities who do not need to drive. Bryant said there are other ways to aid those who want to vote without eliminating identification laws. “If the issue is that a person can’t afford an identification card, then we need to fix that and make it affordable for someone to get an identification card,” Bryant said. “We don’t go the other direction and say ‘they don’t have to have an identification card when they vote.’” She said the Legislature should reconsider the affordability of voter requirements if some people are excluded. Illinois requires an ID in limited situations—for new voters who register by mail, early voters and voters challenged by a judge. Burnside encouraged students to contact their representatives if they are subject to discrimination. “Young people and poor people and students and people of color need to be cognizant of who they’re putting into those elected positions,” he said. “What are their stands on these types of issues, on these discriminatory practices? Then try to put people in those positions that are going to be supportive of those laws that protect the sanctity of voting as a universal right for all Americans.”