Daily Egyptian SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
VOL. 100 ISSUE 99
SINCE 1916
DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM
Graduate assistantships fall at SIU
MARNIE LEONARD | @marsuzleo
For Mohamad Baba, an international doctoral candidate, having a graduate assistantship meant the difference between staying in the country and having to leave. He has now lost that assistantship. He is not alone. SIU graduate students seeking employment are finding assistantships more difficult to obtain this semester as the number of those offered has dropped. Data maintained by the university shows that graduate assistantships were reduced by 265 positions from Spring 2016 to Fall 2016. Baba, 44, returned to the U.S. in 2012 to pursue his doctorate after spending about 12 years teaching higher education in his native country of Malaysia. Four years ago, he and his wife decided to move to Carbondale to finish doctorate programs. SIU is one of the few universities in the country that offers the degree programs Baba and his wife, Masita, are pursuing. Getting a graduate assistantship at the university was also influential, he said, considering his status as an international student. As a research assistant, he was tasked with designing interactive, online-only courses for the university’s catalog. The assistantships funded educational and living expenses, plus the cost of raising their three schoolage children.
Drop in Graduate assistantships Comparison of fall semester assistantships Programs affected most drop between spring and fall 2016 semesters 2010-2016 Architecture -17
5000
Enrollment Assistantships
4,217
4000
Social work -16 Creative writing -12
3,183
3000
2000 1,791
1000
2010
1,214
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016 Reagan Gavin | Daily Egyptian
When he and his wife both lost assistantships in May, the bills at home began to pile up. “That is why we’ve been sort of struggling,” Baba said during an interview Monday. For the 3,183 graduate students enrolled this semester, there were 1,215
assistantships offered, data maintained by the university shows. That pans out to one assistantship for every 2.6 students. By comparison, the graduate school enrolled 4,217 students and granted 1,791 assistantships in Fall 2010. Public universities around Illinois were forced to trim budgets in reaction
to lowered state appropriations from the state’s ongoing budget crisis. During his State of the University address, interim Chancellor Brad Colwell said SIU has become too dependent on assistantships as a recruitment tool. Colwell said at the time the “culture” of thinking that assistantships should
be guaranteed with admission to a graduate school is something that needs to be changed. He said he hopes to increase graduate student enrollment by 10 percent while getting more students to pay their way to attend high-demand programs. Please see ASSISTANTSHIPS | 8
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The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale 43 weeks per year, with an average daily circulation of 11,000. Fall and spring semester editions run every Wednesday. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale and Carterville communities. The Daily Egyptian can be found daily at www.dailyegyptian.com.
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Athena Chrysanthou | @Chrysant1Athena
Retired SIU associate athletic director Charlotte West, left, and former women’s tennis coach Judy Auld cut a ribbon during a locker room dedication ceremony Saturday at SIU Arena.
Wednesday, september 28, 2016
Why registering to vote should be at the top of your to-do list ANNA SPOERRE | @ANNASPOERRE
Students who wait too long to register to vote may be “SOL,” according to Jackson County’s top election official. The first presidential election in which many students are eligible to cast votes is quickly approaching. Illinois’ new rules make this the first presidential election in which the state offers same-day voting and registration. But, because of a recent federal lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of same-day voting, Illinois citizens might not be able to register and cast a ballot on Nov. 8, said Larry Reinhardt, the Jackson County Clerk. Under the current law, Jackson County is required to have same-day registration and voting offered in at least one location. The lawsuit, according to reporting by the Chicago Tribune, is an attempt by Republicans to end election-day registration because of a claim that it blocks free and equal access to voting. Reinhardt said this situation is something for students to consider when preparing for the upcoming general election. Even if changes to the registration procedure aren’t implemented, Reinhardt still urges students to register as soon as possible. In Illinois, registration closes Oct. 11 — but other opportunities to register are available leading up to election day. Early voting and grace period registration will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 20, 25 and 28, and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 2, 3 and 4 on the first floor of the Student Center.
Tribune News Service Illustrations of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump
The same registration and voting options will also be available the three weeks leading up to the election at the Carbondale Civic Center, Reinhardt said. On election day, SIU voting precincts will be located at University Hall, Grinnell Hall and Lentz Hall. With less than seven weeks until the election, almost 40,000 people have registered to vote in Jackson County. Reinhardt said he expects that number to grow by a couple thousand by November. With such a polarized presidential race between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton, coupled with openings in many state seats, Reinhardt said the five minutes it takes to register to vote is well worth students’ time. All eligible students need to present two forms of identification with at least one verifying a current address, whether it be a piece of postmarked mail or a lease. This procedure can even be completed online for those with Illinois IDs. Everyone also has the
option of registering by mail or in person at the city clerk’s office in Carbondale City Hall. “If you want to get through quick and easy, you need to register early,” he said. Last year, Reinhardt said there were several hundred people still in line at the close of the polls on election night. He said this year the Student Center is gearing up for as many as 2,000 additional voters on election day. Statewide, between 250,000 to 500,000 extra voters are expected to do the same in Illinois on Nov. 8, he said. In the March primary, more than 110,000 people registered on election day, Reinhardt said. “We happen to be a population of procrastinators,” he said. “With everything else going on, it seems like people tend to put things off to the last minute, and many states are recognizing that and moving to election day registration in response to that.” Campus editor Anna Spoerre can be reached at 618-536-3397 or aspoerre@dailyegyptian.com
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State representatives talk education, MAP funding SHANNON ALLEN @SHANNONALLEN_DE.
The State Universities Annuitants Association hosted a debate between the state representative candidates for the 115th district at the SIU School of Law on Thursday evening. The hour-and-a-half long forum of about 150 spectators was between incumbent Rep. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro and her challenger, Marsha Griffin, a democratic candidate from Jonesboro. Both candidates were given a chance to respond to questions formulated by SUAA and audience members. Bryant, who has been in office since January 2015, worked for the Illinois Department of Corrections for 20 years before becoming politically active. Griffin is a 4th grade teacher at Jonesboro Elementary and founder of My Brother’s Keeper, a support group for Illinois Department of Corrections officers and their families. Bryant and Griffin agreed there needs to be more funding for higher education, especially at SIU. Griffin said it will take SIU and John A. Logan Community College years to recover from loss of employees and funding. “We owe our children a better legacy and I can’t stand on the sideline and wait for others to get Illinois back on track,” Griffin said. “The stopgap budget that ends in the middle of the school year is using a band-aid for something that needs a tourniquet.” Griffin said Bryant did not vote for the Monetary Award Program grants, an issue that directly affects many Illinois students. Please see CANDIDATES | NEXT PAGE
Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Democratic challenger Marsha Griffin, of Jonesboro, left, and Republican Rep. Terri Bryant, of Murphysboro, right, react to applause after their closing statements Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, during a candidate forum hosted by the State Universities Annuitants Association in the Lesar Law Building Auditorium.
“There's a difference between a 'no' and a 'hell no' and in this case, I was the second because I would not vote on a bull that doesn't give any money to SIU” - Terri Bryant
Wednesday, september 28, 2016
Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Rick Bryant, Murphysboro native and husband of Republican Rep. Terri Bryant, shares a moment with his mother, Beverly Bryant, of Ava, on Thursday, Sept. 22, 2016, during a candidate forum between Rep. Bryant and her democratic challenger, Marsha Griffin, in the Lesar Law Building Auditorium. Beverly said she enjoyed the debate, but thought Griffin read from her notes too much.
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Bryant said she was called into a meeting in April to discuss the money being distributed to higher education in Illinois. She said none of the $600 million being allocated to the state was going to SIU, so she chose not to vote on the MAP grant bill. “The MAP grant funding would have gone to other public universities prior to going to SIU,” Bryant said. “There’s a difference between a ‘no’ and a ‘hell no,’ and in this case, I was the second because I would not vote on a bill that doesn’t give any money to SIU.” Griffin said the lack of Illinois school funding will be detrimental to future generations. “Being an educator, I see first hand the lack of education funding in southern Illinois,” Griffin said. “We need to make sure our students in southern Illinois have every tool they need to equip them for a 21st century workplace.” On the issue of cutting social services programs, Bryant and Griffin have personal experiences. Griffin said she met with a quadriplegic SIU student named Casey and found Casey’s caretaker was working without pay because
there was no program funding. “These people aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet,” Griffin said. “They are very real and the consequences are very dire.” Bryant said she understands this challenge every day as she continues to help her husband, Rick, who has suffered from epilepsy for 35 years. “We don’t just know the social service needs of people by walking into their homes,” Bryant said. Bryant, who participated in signing Molly’s Law — named after a well-known 2012 Carbondale case of the death of 21-year-old Molly Young and extends the statute of limitations for wrongful death cases — said if she gets re-elected, she will continue to listen to the voice of the southern Illinois people. Griffin said although she cannot promise to fix every issue, she can promise to do her job to the best of her ability and properly represent her district. “When I go to Springfield, I am going to strive to be the strongest, independent voice I can possibly be and remember who elected me,” Griffin said. Staff writer Shannon Allen can be reached at 618-536-3326 or sallen@dailyegyptian.com
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Students: Chancellor Q&A left important questions unanswered TYRA WOOTEN | @twootenDE
Some students left Wednesday night’s chat with the chancellor frustrated about the discussion’s lack of seriousness. The question and answer between interim Chancellor Brad Colwell and a small crowd of about 20 people left some participants wishing more important questions had been asked. Johnathan Flowers, vice president of graduate school affairs, said the chat didn’zt let students make their concerns known. “When students ask questions, they expect to receive a response,” Flowers said. “What we got was this. Not good.” Carly James, assistant director of student center programs, said the purpose of the event — hosted by the Student Programing Council — was for students to get to know the chancellor. “I want students to have a good relationship with the chancellor,” said SPC talks director Ellen Lechman, who helped plan the event. Questions for the chancellor were submitted using Twitter with the
phrase #chatwithbrad, a chalkboard in the Student Center and written submissions at the chat. The questions were then drawn out of a bowl. Colwell began by briefly highlighting key points made at his State of the University address from earlier in the day, including enrollment statistics, managing student programs and the effects of the state budget woes on the university. Later, the discussion shifted to Colwell’s personal life, including his greatest accomplishments and his dream job — being a cowboy. But at one point, students attempted to steer the discussion in a more serious direction. “Are we going to get to the hard hitting questions?” asked Stephenie DeArcangelis, a doctoral candidate in communication studies from Crete. DeArcangelis said she submitted questions about white supremacy, racism and hiring practices, sexual assault policies and student safety to the chancellor. But, she said, none of those questions were asked. It wasn’t long before more frustration was voiced after a
question was asked about Colwell’s preference for dogs or cats. “I hope you’re a dog man, but can we get to the more important things?” asked Karen Kaufman, a market cashier in the Student Center. Kaufman said she wanted the discussions to be more knowledgeable and more about the university’s financial plans in light of the state budget crisis. Colwell said his expectations were for students to get to know him better and to begin discussions about difficult topics. “I sense that most of the students who came probably weren’t terribly interested in the fun chit chat,” Colwell said. Colwell said a majority of students stayed around after the event to share their issues and concerns with him one-on-one. “I can’t always promise they’re going to get the answer they’re looking for, but I will promise them answers,” Colwell said. Lori Stettler, interim vice chancellor for student affairs, said the point of the event wasn’t an open discussion.
outright violations of the governing body’s constitution. Upon hearing the allegations, GPSC president Brandon Woudenberg asked RSO leaders to present the issue to the council at its next meeting on Oct. 4. He said GPSC would form an investigative committee if the student leaders could garner a minimum 300 petition signatures from students. The allegations of mismanagement come after USG President Jared Stern pulled funding for the student organizations because of mistakes made in Spring 2016.
Funding for RSOs is usually approved during a USG meeting at the end of each academic year through a voting process. In one of his first actions as president, Stern declared funds allocated for RSO operational funding in Spring 2016 to be “null and void” after it was discovered that some of the attendees at the meeting were not authorized to vote. The organizations were required to resubmit requests for operational funding in early September. Yahaira Heller, a representative of Saluki Rainbow Network, said her organization has faced problems
Autumn Suyko | @AutumnSuyko_DE SIUC Interim Brad Colwell delivers his annual State of the University Address Sept. 21 in Ballroom D at the Student Center.
“The purpose of tonight was to get to know the man behind the position,” Stettler said. “He meets with students regularly and makes himself available.” The final inquiry of the night was about what sandwich best describes Colwell. Most students didn’t seem satisfied with the closing question or the overall discussion.
The chancellor said he thinks students don’t want to talk, but instead want action. “A more serious conversation needs to be held between the chancellor and students,” Flowers said. “And this wasn’t a good start.”
because of insufficient funding and members have been unable to contact Stern to discuss their concerns despite several attempts. Stern did not respond to request for comment as of Wednesday evening. Other representatives raised concerns of USG’s ability to function properly. Model UN President Justin Barnett said USG is ill-equipped to conduct meetings because senators have not been trained in parliamentary procedure, and have refused offers from Model UN to be trained.
“How will [senators] fulfill their duties to their full potential if they haven’t the slightest clue on how their own operational procedures work?” Barnett asked. Other business discussed focused on plans for the next GPSC meeting, which will be attended by the chairman of the Illinois State Senate Higher Education committee Pat McGuire. The council meets again at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 4 to discuss with McGuire about higher education funding and Monetary Award Program grants.
Staff writer Tyra Wooten can be reached at twooten@dailyegyptian.com
USG questioned by RSO leaders MARNIE LEONARD | @marsuzleo
Members of the Graduate and Professional Student Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to investigate allegations of misconduct within Undergraduate Student Government if leaders from Registered Student Organizations can raise support from the student body. During GPSC’s regularly scheduled meeting, representatives from five RSOs presented various objections with current USG leadership that ranged from procedural errors to
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Mundelein man killed in Champaign shooting KATHERINE ROSENBERG-DOUGLAS Chicago Tribune
A Mundelein man was killed in a shooting near the University of Illinois in Champaign that left three others wounded early Sunday, authorities said. Champaign police say the first shooting, about 12:40 a.m., apparently stemmed from an argument shortly after midnight at an apartment party on Green Street, the commercial heart of the campus. Four people were shot, none of whom were involved in the fight, police said. “Our preliminary investigations completely points to an argument taking place at the party and the argument spilled out into the street and that’s when a fight occurred,” Champaign police spokeswoman
LaEisha Meaderds said, adding the reasons for the fight isn’t clear yet. One man, George Korchev, of Mundelein, was pronounced dead just after 1 a.m. at Carle Foundation Hospital, according to police and the Champaign County Coroner. He was 22, according to the Daily Illini. The other three people shot were taken to area hospitals with injuries described as non-life-threatening. A person fleeing the gunfire was hit by a car on Green Street and suffered minor injuries. At 1:08 a.m., about half an hour after the first shooting, another shooting was reported in the 700 block of State Street. One person was wounded and taken to a nearby hospital. Police believe the two attacks may be related. Korchev’s friend and former high
school classmate Justin Konis said Korchev was the very definition of class clown, but not in a disruptive way. He was “just someone who you could always find smiling and always found a way to turn a negative situation into a positive one.” Konis said it would be difficult to find someone who didn’t like Korchev, who was studying to be a doctor. He attended the College of Lake County and worked at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, where he was supposed to begin working as a registered nurse on Monday, the hospital said in a statement. “We lost someone whose life mission was to help others,” Konis said. Korchev also was a lover of frisbee golf as well as vaping, Konis said, and just strived to make people laugh.
Kathryn Lawlor, a Naperville resident and a May graduate of University of Illinois, caught some of the gunfire on a cellphone recording for popular social media app, Snapchat. The teacher was back at her university to celebrate her 23rd birthday where she’s had such good times in the past, she said. As she was heading to the well-known bar the Red Lion, she walked past an empty lot where she saw between 100 and 200 people gathered. The group was loud, and even though no one seemed angry or aggressive, she took note. “I whispered to my friend, ‘that looks like bad news to me, that doesn’t seem right,'” Lawlor said. Her friends dismissed her as overly cautious, she said. Moments later she started the cellphone recording and
immediately after it began, gunshots are heard in quick succession. “Some people thought it was fireworks but I knew — I’ve shot guns before for recreation, so I know what a gunshots sound like,” Lawlor said. Police later told her there were as many as eight shots fired, but her 3-second video, now circulating on Twitter, caught the first five gunshots. Lawlor and a friend ran toward an apartment complex nearby that she was familiar with and some good Samaritans let them take cover inside the building. She watched the police arrive from a balcony on the 19th floor, she said, and she got in touch with authorities to let them review her recording. The shootings remain under investigation.
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As Illinois’ coal country teeters on brink, next president may tip balance JOHN KEILMAN | Chicago Tribune
Some 600 feet beneath the corn and soybean fields of southern Illinois, a passageway barely tall enough to walk through ends in a wall of gleaming black carbon, ready to be ground into chunks and transported to power plants half a world away. This is a coal mine, and for more than a century caverns like it have fueled the economy of this often-depressed region. Miners risk their bodies in labyrinthine tunnels and on mineral-rich hillsides, and in exchange, they can earn $80,000 or more — wages far beyond anything else available in the area. But this long-standing covenant could be reaching its end. Illinois mining companies have shed more than 1,200 jobs over the last year as strict new environmental regulations and cheap natural gas have encouraged utilities to drop their reliance on coal. Only about 2,800 jobs remain, the lowest tally in decades. That downsizing — and the fear that the final blow is coming — has shaken small towns already haunted by empty storefronts and shrinking populations. Coal mining has always been volatile, but some industry veterans say this downturn feels as though it might be permanent. “Southern Illinois is not a booming area,” said Denny Maraman, 64, a former miner whose devotion to the job was so deep that he kept working even after receiving a double-lung transplant, only to be laid off two years later. “You take the mining industry away? It’s like cutting the legs off it. And as bad as it is now, it’s going to get worse.” Coal’s decline has become an issue in the presidential race. Hillary Clinton stirred fear in the mines when she told a town hall in March that the shift to clean, renewable energy means “we’re going to
Anthony Souffle | Chicago Tribune Coal miner Michael Tucker plays basketball with his son in the driveway of their home Aug. 31 in Equality.
put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of business.” She added that she wants to bring new economic opportunities to coal country, but the damage was done: Donald Trump, who has vowed to “bring those miners back” by scrapping regulations, is seen by some as the industry’s last hope. “I think [the election] is pivotal,” said Bob Sandidge, owner of a mining services company and founder of an advocacy group called Coal Miner’s Movement. “Hillary said she’s going to carry on with the clean power plan, and that’s going to be the final nail in the coffin.” Some analysts say coal’s predicament is too far gone for a political fix. Energy producers in the U.S. and overseas are building enormous wind farms and fields of solar panels, while the ocean of natural gas unleashed by fracking
has prompted American utilities to shutter hundreds of coal-fired plants. That has many in the region envisioning a future without mining — and they don’t like what they see. Michael Tucker, 33, recently learned that he’ll lose his job in November when his employer, the Pattiki Mine in Carmi, Ill., shuts down permanently. He said when mines close, the aftershocks touch many more who indirectly depend on them, from truck drivers and barge captains to restaurant employees and real estate agents. “The number of jobs that will be lost or negatively affected will be hundreds, thousands,” Tucker said. “That’s what people don’t realize. It’s just enormous what it’ll do to southern Illinois.” Coal has influenced the destiny of southern Illinois from the moment in 1673 when French explorer
Louis Joliet saw veins of the ancient heating fuel embedded in the banks of the Illinois River. That was just a glimpse of the vast Illinois Basin, an underground treasure chest of oil, natural gas and coal that runs beneath most of the state but yields its most abundant riches in the far south. The basin’s coal is high in sulfur, and it burns hotter and generates electricity more efficiently than coal mined elsewhere. For decades that was a competitive advantage, but sulfur’s role in creating acid rain led to provisions in the Clean Air Act that prompted utilities to install expensive scrubbers or switch to low-sulfur coal. Demand for Illinois coal plunged, and the state’s output dropped from 61 million tons in 1990 to 33 million a decade later, according to the Illinois Coal Association. Unemployment topped 17 percent
in a few counties, and some communities never recovered. Carbon dioxide is the main culprit scientists blame for global warming, and no one has created an economical way to remove it from power plant exhaust. The Obama administration last year ordered power producers to cut their carbon emissions, one of several recent rules aimed at reducing coal pollution. Twenty-nine states — though not Illinois — sued the administration over the emissions rule, saying it would ruin the coal industry and lead to higher electricity prices. The U.S. Supreme Court in February blocked the rule by a 5-4 vote, and most believe the justice picked by the next president will determine its fate. Yet Howard Learner of Chicago’s Environmental Law and Policy Center said regulations aren’t the major reason for coal’s decline. More relevant, he said, are bad business decisions: Some mining companies went on a buying spree believing that economic growth in China would continue at a breakneck pace, only to go bankrupt when that bet went sour. At the same time, a glut of natural gas and nuclear power, combined with the increased efficiency of everything from lightbulbs to refrigerators, means the energy market has more supply than demand. Coal simply can’t compete with other sources, Learner said. “Those are real economic factors that are not likely to be affected by who is president,” he said. That view is not widely shared in Galatia, where hundreds of workers at its two coal mines have been dismissed over the past year. To read more, please see www.dailyegyptian.com
Wednesday, september 28, 2016
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Illinois state senator warns of more stopgap state budgets BOB OKON MORRIS DAILY HERALD
Illinois may be operating on stopgap budgets into 2019, a local legislator warned last week. “I want to be blunt with you,” state Sen. Pat McGuire, D-Joliet, told the Joliet Junior College Board of Trustees at their Sept. 13 meeting. “I hear from more and more of my colleagues that we might force Illinois to subsist on stopgap
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But some within the graduate school argue such a practice limits the access to higher education. Graduate students may transfer to other universities or suspend their education if they are unable to secure an assistantship at SIU, said Brandon Woudenberg, president of the Graduate and Professional Student Council. Woudenberg said these positions are used by many graduate schools to recruit students to their programs. He said he has already noticed students transferring to other graduate schools after their positions were cut. Johnathan Flowers, president of Graduate Assistants United, agreed. As a graduate student, Flowers said there are two main things that will draw students to a school: research-intensive faculty and graduate assistantships. If a graduate school has highly trained faculty in both narrowly focused subjects and a broad variety of subjects, he said, that will encourage graduate students to enroll. The other aspects students consider are the research and funding opportunities provided to them through assistantships, Flowers said. But a graduate school has to have one or the other, and SIU is losing both, Flowers said. “Most students will not come to an institution where the best and brightest faculty are looking for a way out and they’re not going to be funded,” Flowers said. “Either give them research opportunities through
budgets through fiscal year 2019.” McGuire was giving a legislative update to the JJC board, which has already cut back spending to deal with unreliable state funding. “For you, it would mean more unpredictable funding,” McGuire told the board while discussing the prospect of ongoing stopgap budgets. He said the forecast for more stopgap budgets is based on a belief that Republican Gov. Bruce
Rauner will continue to attach his turnaround agenda proposals to full-year budgets. Democrats have opposed the Republican governor’s turnaround agenda. JJC and other colleges typically would get annual funding at somewhat predictable levels. But the political standoff in Springfield has led to stopgap funding, such as the six-month budget that was passed at the end of June.
The college closed its Small Business Development Center this summer because of unreliable state funding and has let many positions go unfilled when employees leave or retire. “Everything is in limbo with the state,” JJC controller Jeff Heap said Sept. 15. “We’re just being really conservative. When positions come open, we’re being very selective.” With no state budget in place past December, JJC does not know what
funding it will get for the second semester, Heap said. State funding amounts to about 10 percent of the JJC budget. JJC last school year advanced more than $1 million to students depending on Monetary Award Program grants from the state. But the practice stopped this semester. The state has fallen behind on MAP funding, so that the grants come one semester late.
GAs, demonstrate the ability to retain excellent faculty, or do something else.” He said the problem isn’t a lack of brilliant faculty on campus; it’s that some of the best faculty members are leaving at a rapid rate. Over the past 10 years, SIU reduced tenured and tenure track full-time faculty members by 173 professors. As of 2015, the university employed roughly 672 tenured and tenure track professors. Meanwhile, enrollment in the graduate school is down by 431 students from 2015, according to data released by the university. The loss of faculty coupled with the reduction in graduate assistantships means these enrollment numbers are likely to stay down, Flowers said. Interim Vice Chancellor for Research Jim Garvey said deans had to choose between cutting graduate assistantships, non-tenure track faculty or non-salary costs, and many made the decision to cut the assistantships. This was not a decision anyone was happy to make, but it arose out of necessity, Garvey said. The most affected programs were architecture, social work and creative writing. From last spring, these programs have lost 17, 16 and 12 assistantships, respectively. The liberal arts and humanities assistantships face greater losses because they aren’t able to secure as much external funding through grants and sponsors as the science, technology, engineering and math fields, Garvey said. He sees the assistantship reduction as an issue that will mainly affect
teaching at the university. Through teaching assistantships, graduate students give research active faculty members more time to work on proposals, go after grant funding and do research and creative activity in their labs and studios, Garvey said. With fewer teaching assistantships, faculty will have to teach more classes, which will cut into research and ultimately place more stress on professors, he said. Research assistants also produce new information through dissertations and theses that Garvey is able to include in grant proposals to secure more funding. With fewer research assistants, there will be fewer grants, Garvey said. External research funding is up by $13 million from the 2015 fiscal year, but as this money primarily goes to STEM fields, the main concern now is making sure liberal arts departments don’t suffer disproportionately, Garvey said. He said these assistantships and graduate students as a whole are vital to the university. “They stimulate the intellectual efforts of the university,” Garvey said. “They inspire us and provide new information and I wouldn’t be here doing what I do today if it wasn’t for the hard work of my graduate students.” Flowers agreed, saying that graduate assistantships should be eliminated only with the utmost caution. “The elimination of GAs seems to be an unsound strategy for saving money because you are literally cutting away at the academic workforce that frees up your tenure track faculty to perform the necessary functions that
keep the university a Tier 1 research institution,” Flowers said. Because of the economic climate of Illinois, when assistantships are eliminated or not renewed, many students cannot afford to continue their graduate education, Flowers said, adding that those most affected by this are the underrepresented, low-income and first generation graduate students, Flowers said. “They simply disappear,” Flowers said. “They’re trying to find a job, they go back home, whatever — many of them are struggling to survive.” Undergraduate students should be concerned about the fate of graduate students and their assistantships too, Flowers said.
Graduate assistants are also tasked with the mentorship of undergraduates, many of whom find it easier to talk to graduate students than faculty about personal struggles and complications that may be affecting their coursework, Flowers said. “I can safely speak for a majority of GAs when I say that we’re here for you. You don’t always see us fighting for you, but it’s something most GAs take as a serious responsibility in their position,” Flowers said. “If we’re gone, the only people you have left are faculty.” As for Baba’s wife, Masita, she was recently granted a position at the university working with undergraduate researchers. It is the only income the family of five has had in the last few months. In the meantime, Baba is working to finish his dissertation and preparing to defend his thesis. His coursework is finished, but he had to enroll in a single credit hour course to keep his apartment at Evergreen Terrace. Though the family initially weighed the option of returning to Malaysia, Baba said some things have fallen into place that should allow him to finish at SIU. He said he hopes to attain his degree within one year. “The most important thing when you come here is, you want to try to finish your studies,” Baba said. “That is our struggle.”
“They stimulate the intellectual efforts of the university.” - Jonathan Flowers president of Graduate Assstants United
“GAs are the ones who teach your courses,” he said. “We’re the ones who advocate on your behalf in faculty meetings, we have access to larger and more expansive administrative decision making committees than most undergraduate organizations, and we are also your future.”
Bill Lukitsch contributed to this report. Staff writer Marnie Leonard can be reached at mleonard@dailyegyptian.com
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Wednesday, sePtember 28, 2016
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SIU women’s tennis dedicates renovated locker room to former coach JESSE ROBERTSON | DAILY EGYPTIAN
The SIU women’s tennis team’s locker room got a major upgrade thanks to a two-year fundraiser created by a Saluki hall of famer. The team officially dedicated its new locker room to former SIU coach Judy Auld — who coached women’s tennis for more than 30 years — on Saturday morning. Auld, who graduated from the university in 1969 as a four-sport athlete, led her teams to a 405-332 record. “Personally, I feel very honored and humbled by the locker room being named after me,” Auld said. “It would have been a facility I would have enjoyed having for my student-athletes as they were very deserving of it. It proves the program is moving in the right direction, recognizing the tennis team and treating them as equals with all other programs.” The locker room now boasts a new TV, re-fitted lights, doors on lockers, new sofas and a fridge. “Our new locker room will be a nice showpiece for recruits,” current coach Audra Anderson said. “It will also be a great place for our girls to relax and enjoy having a great student-athlete experience.” Athena Chrysanthou | @Chrysant1Athena Efforts to renovate the locker room Charlotte West, retired SIU associate athletic director, gives a speech during the women’s tennis locker room dedication began in 2014 when former associate to Judy Auld on Saturday at SIU Arena. West served as associate athletic director during Auld’s 30-year career as SIU athletic director Charlotte West decided women’s tennis coach.
to honor Auld. West, a former administrator, teamed up with previous players and community members to raise more than $40,000 for the project, which was finished in March. Throughout her career, West was a trailblazer for women’s athletics. She served a term as president of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women, the top governing body for collegiate women’s sports at the time. During her time at SIU, Auld posted six 20-win seasons, 32 individual conference champions in singles and doubles and contributed to 44 allconference honorees. She also won Gateway Coach of the Year in 1988 after her team finished second in the league. Individual lockers were named after donors who support the program. Auld said she bought two lockers for her and West’s family. More than 45 people were in attendance to see the official ribbon cutting, including athletic alumni, donors and former members of the women’s tennis team. “I want people to remember her 10 years from now,” West said. “That’s the whole reason I got started.” Athena Chrysanthou contributed to this report. Jesse Robertson can be reached at jrobertson@dailyegyptian.com.
Saluki football notebook: Scouting the Northern Iowa Panthers SEAN CARLEY | @SCarleyDE
SIU football opens up conference play Saturday with a strong road test at Northern Iowa during the Panthers' homecoming. The Dawgs are 4-13 all-time in Cedar Falls, most recently dropping a 49-28 contest last year. UNI will head into its matchup with SIU with a 1-2 record achieved in an uncommon fashion — knocking off Big 12 opponent Iowa State, but losing to Football Championship Subdivision No. 4 Eastern Washington and No. 6 Montana.
The matchup will pit strength against strength: the Saluki offense and Panther defense. Northern Iowa is a defensive juggernaut, allowing only 303.5 yards per game. This mark is the 12th best in the nation. Senior defensive lineman Karter Schult anchors the Panther defensive line, leading the FCS in both sacks (6.5) and tackles for loss (12). Schult helps contribute to the Panthers' run defense, which is No. 5 in the FCS, allowing 67.3 yards per game on the ground. SIU will try to break UNI’s defense with an offense that ranks
seventh in the nation at 497 yards per game. If there is a crack in Panthers' defensive armor, it is its pass defense that Saluki senior quarterback Josh Straughan will try to exploit. SIU currently ranks ninth in passing offense with 313.7 yards per game. The game could depend on SIU’s capability to limit Northern Iowa’s ability to move the ball on offense. UNI uses a run heavy spreadoption based offense. This type of offense utilizes as many as four wide receivers and one running back in a shotgun set. The
quarterback then reads the defense to decide whether to run or pass as the play unfolds. During last year’s matchup, the Panthers decimated the Saluki defense, running for more than 300 yards between running back Tyvis Smith and quarterback Aaron Bailey, both of whom are returning. One major strength the Salukis will hold over the Panthers could potentially be utilized on the game’s first play. Northern Iowa ranks No. 120 out of 122 FCS teams in kick return defense. Southern Illinois’ kick return unit
is No. 1 with an average of 34.1 yards per return. In the Salukis’ last game against Murray State, freshman returner D.J. Davis brought back the opening kick 98 yards for a touchdown, which coach Nick Hill said was a huge momentum shift in the team’s 50-17 win. If SIU can get a similar play to steal momentum early against UNI and ride that wave, the Salukis can potentially ruin homecoming in Cedar Falls. Sports editor Sean Carley can be reached at scar@dailyegyptian.com.
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Wednesday, sePtember 28, 2016
Answers for Wednesday >>
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Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www. sudoku.org.uk
Wednesday, september 28, 2016
Today's Birthday (09/28/16). Embrace healthy lifestyle practices this year. You're in the spotlight, so groom your image. At a physical turning point, aim for vitality. Provide great service while still serving yourself. Doors close and open with friendships next spring. Leap bounding new heights in your health, vitality and work. Discover fun and romance. To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -Increase organization and decrease stress. You have plenty to manage, and no time to lose. Choose stability over illusion. Avoid risk or expense. Strengthen support structures. Taurus (April 20-May 20)
-- Today is a 6 -- Romance hides in the shadows, easily overlooked. Fantasies dissipate and hard realities could taunt you. Keep practicing your arts. You may not see benefits immediately. You're growing long-term skills. Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 6 -- Fix up your place. Repurpose something you already had. There's no need for extravagance; get basic tools and supplies to get the job done. Finish what you begin. Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Things are starting to make sense. Explain what you see to others in simple language. Read background materials, and study the latest news. Share your view. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -Today is an 8 -- The income potential today looks high. The customer is always right, even if rude. Keep your tone gracious and respectful. Avoid distractions and silly arguments. You're building strong foundations. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Consider a new style. Upgrade your personal image and branding. Think about your purpose, and what you want to accomplish. Gain strength and options. Try something different. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 5 -- Exercise improves your mood. Release emotions through moving your body. Meditation
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adds inner peace. Private introspection and planning provide previously unseen options. Hide away and study expert views. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- Keep team objectives in mind as you push forward. If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. Avoid a trick. Friends come to your rescue. Sagittarius (Nov. 22Dec. 21) -- Today is a 5 -- You can diminish the risk of incendiary contact. Replace volatile with secure ingredients. Keep fuel away from a spark. Clear clutter to reduce the level of chaos. Play peaceful music. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Don't launch a journey without knowing where you're going. Focus on what's in the bag, not what you hope is ahead. Ask the tough questions. Rely on experienced friends. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Focus on growing shared accounts. Handle paperwork, filing and payments for insurance, investment and legal matters. Navigate regulations and deadlines. Align on financial priorities before committing funds. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -Discover romance where least expected. Reality and fantasy clash. Abandon images about what things should look like. If it's not broken, don't fix it. Find joy practicing your arts.
FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 28, 2016
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Gain experience (from) 6 Leg muscle 10 World Golf Hall of Famer Karrie 14 First host of “The Tonight Show” 15 Like some history 16 Original thought 17 Old-time bandits 20 “The Time Machine” race 21 Goes out 22 First extra inning 23 Dallas Mavericks org. 25 Old Mideast alliance: Abbr. 26 Narc’s quarry 32 Nova Scotia hrs. 35 City SW of St. Augustine 36 Young boys 37 Place for a pedicure 38 Special forces mission 42 Bi- halved 43 Cambodian cash 44 Polar explorer 45 Butter-on-hotgriddle sound 46 Anonymous holiday gift giver 48 Bowl-shaped cookware 49 __ in: surround 50 Delta rival, as it was once known 53 Tosca’s “Vissi d’arte,” e.g. 56 Magic charm 60 Air marshal’s possession 63 “The Mod Squad” role 64 Automation prefix 65 Superman’s makeup? 66 __ code 67 Mess offering 68 Brits’ boob tube DOWN 1 Pathetic, as an excuse 2 Airline to Jerusalem 3 In addition 4 Put the spark back into, as a relationship
By Timothy L. Meaker
5 Salem-toPortland dir. 6 It may help with a mop 7 Many a Syrian 8 Metallica drummer Ulrich 9 St. with a panhandle 10 Three-lane, vis-à-vis two-lane 11 “I Dream of Jeannie” star 12 Buddy of Kermit 13 Big party 18 Leader with a .edu address 19 Beehive State 24 Animal symbolizing the 25-Down 25 World power inits. until ’91 26 Magical start 27 Tappable cellphone images 28 “Miles Smiles” trumpeter 29 Poker-faced 30 Come to a point 31 Fred’s dancing sister 32 Chinese or Japanese 33 Hurling or curling
09/28/16 9/28/16 Wednesday’s Answers
Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved
©2016 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
34 Tucker of country 39 Taxing trip 40 Semicircular church section 41 One who might go to bat for you? 46 Achy 47 January warm spell 48 Modern witch’s religion 50 Home of the NCAA’s Bruins
9/28/16 09/21/16
51 Evening in Quebec 52 Klein of fashion 53 Lotion additive 54 Singer McEntire 55 Star adored by many 57 Autobahn auto 58 “Piano Man” man 59 __ child 61 Branch 62 Approx. repair cost
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Wednesday, sePtember 28, 2016
Two-sport success at Simeon sticks with Saluki tight end JESSE ROBERTSON | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Playing at one of Chicago’s biggest high school basketball powerhouses might make some athletes wilt under the pressure of national attention. But not SIU junior tight end John Gardner, a graduate of Simeon Career Academy. “It was good experience,” Gardner said. “Being the top player at grammar school and then going to a school with elite athletes showed me it was time to put some work in.” The tight end was a two-star recruit coming out of high school and was selected to the All-City team by the Chicago Sun-Times. Playing basketball at Simeon with the 2014 NBA draft No. 2 overall section Jabari Parker left an impression on Gardner. “I blocked Jabari a lot in practice,” he said with a laugh. “He was such a great player and leader off the court. I felt like I could use a lot of that in the real world too.” During his time at Simeon, Gardner and Parker — who now plays for the Milwaukee Bucks — won four straight Illinois High School Association state basketball championships. With all the success, Parker also taught Gardner how to remain humble. “He was the No. 1 player in the nation and despite all that attention, he always stayed humble,” he said. Gardner also played against Jahlil Okafor, a former first-round pick, who played for Whitney M. Young Magnet High School, another Chicago basketball powerhouse. Okafor now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers. Playing at SIU Although Simeon is known as a basketball school nationally — graduating numerous NBA players, such as Derrick Rose and Parker — the football team had success and notoriety as well. During his senior season, Simeon football made the Illinois High School Association state quarterfinals, the deepest in the playoffs the school had ever gone. But Gardner said he had to pick between basketball and football. “I was getting better looks and better offers in football and when it came to the time to make my visits it interfered with basketball, so I knew that I had to let it go even though I wanted to do both,” he said. Gardner said SIU struck a chord when he
Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Junior tight end John Gardner practices drills on the sideline Sept. 10 during the Salukis’ 30-22 victory against Southeast Missouri at Saluki Stadium.
visited campus. “It felt just like home, it felt like I was at Simeon,” Gardner said. “The coaching staff at the time showed that they wanted me the most out of all the schools. [SIU] kept in touch with me during the whole process and I felt like they showed a lot of loyalty, so I felt obligated to give it back.” Gardner was slated to be SIU’s starting tight end before this season, but a foot injury held him back. Since then, he has played in the Salukis’
last two games against Southeast Missouri and Murray State. So far, Gardner has not recorded a single statistic in the 12 games as a Saluki. SIU special teams coach Jay Nunez said the skills Gardner learned while playing basketball translate well to the football field. Nunez said he was impressed with Gardner’s footwork and believes it can be traced to Simeon basketball. “Basketball players are just really good athletes,
so as far as receiving the football, he’s had a lot of experience with being able to go and get it,” Nunez said. Nunez said watching potential recruits play other sports instead of just focusing on the sport you may give them an offer in is very important. “I believe in guys getting out and letting it rip on fields and courts that have nothing to do with football,” he said. “With basketball, it will give you a better look at his technique.”
Wednesday, sePtember 28, 2016
Former Saluki signs professional Canadian football contract SEAN CARLEY | @SCarleyDE
Although he didn’t make the cut in the NFL, one former Saluki is testing out his abilities up north. Former SIU linebacker Brandon Williams has signed a practice squad contract with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, he announced Monday on Facebook. “It’s a great opportunity for me to keep playing the game and continue to develop as a player,” Williams
said in the post. “Hopefully I will be able to return to the NFL one day.” Williams went undrafted in the 2016 NFL draft and signed with the Atlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent. He tallied four total tackles with a half sack in the first two preseason games as a Falcon. Williams was then waived after not recording a stat in the third game. As a Saluki, the Du Quoin native totaled 101 tackles, 9.5 tackles and two fumbles forced and recovered.
He was also named as an honorable mention All-Missouri Valley Football Conference player in his senior season. Williams is now one of two recent SIU graduates in the Canadian league — joining former safety and Canada native Anthony Thompson, who was drafted in the second round of this year’s Canadian draft by the BC Lions. Sports editor Sean Carley can be reached at scar@dailyegyptian.com.
Saluki cornerback’s journey to SIU TYRA WOOTEN | @TWootenDE
Redshirt freshman cornerback Kerwin “K.J.” McElvaney’s journey to SIU football was anything but easy. When starting cornerback Roman Tatum broke his hand against Florida Atlantic, second string McElvaney had to step up in his place. Within the past two games, McElvaney has had three solo tackles and one assist tackle. But McElvaney’s hometown of Louisville, Ky. — a city that recorded more than 80 homicides in 2015, according to the Courier-Journal — provided a tough upbringing. McElvaney said seeing fights and hearing gunshots was common in his neighborhood. “I didn’t ever want to be caught in a wrong place at the wrong time,” the 6-foot-1 freshman said. “I had to take a different path if I wanted to take this football stuff far in life.” McElvaney’s trainer, former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Vaughn, changed his life, he said, and motivated him to improve his football skills. “Vaughn has a huge impact on the Louisville community and on my life,” McElvaney said. “I was either going to waste my time with football or take it serious.” During his senior year of high
school, McElvaney transferred to Milford Academy, a post-secondary all-boy school in New Berlin, N.Y. The academy ranked fifth in the nation in football while he was there, according to his SIU biography. Milford Academy has produced NFL players such as Buffalo Bills’ LeSean McCoy and Tennessee Titans’ Shonn Greene. McElvaney said New Berlin held little excitement, so he only looked forward to football. “It was a ghost town,” McElvaney said of the 1,003-person town. “Our school was built like a castle with nothing but hills.” As for the sport itself, football has always ran in the family, McElvaney’s father, Kerwin McElvaney Sr., said during a recent interview. “K.J. has gone further in football than I ever could’ve,” McElvaney Sr. said. “K.J. has always been extra motivated.” After he graduated from Milford, McElvaney wasn’t provided with many opportunities to continue playing football. He originally committed to Temple University in Philadelphia, but the offer was dropped after his SAT scores weren’t received, he said. McElvaney didn’t have a backup plan.
He went back home to Louisville and began contacting coaches on his own. But he was staying with Vaughn, who had him training twice a day. “The biggest thing that stood out about K.J. was that he had a heart of a champion,” Vaughn said. “K.J. had a strong belief in himself and that’s the winning formula in life.” The cornerback got in touch with then-SIU coach Dale Lennon, who offered him an opportunity. When McElvaney arrived at SIU in spring 2015, humble wasn’t a word he knew well. “Even though I was a scout team player, I was very arrogant and had a bad attitude,” McElvaney said. SIU coach Nick Hill picked him apart and pushed him to become humbler, showing him how to be a better man, McElvaney said. “It was a proud moment when K.J. played well,” Hill said of McElvaney’s performance against Southeast Missouri State. “K.J. has grown a lot and I’m proud of him on and off the field.” Fans can watch McElvaney at 4 p.m. Oct. 1 when the Salukis take on Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Staff writer Tyra Wooten can be reached at twooten@dailyegyptian.com.
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sPorts
Wednesday, sePtember 28, 2016
SIU women's tennis dedicates new locker room to former coach Page 11
INSIDE: From Simeon to Saluki Stadium pg. 14 | Second Saluki in CFL pg. 15