Celebrating 100 years of journalistic integrity
New MUSG president Ben Dombrowski, Allie Bitz are newly elected president and EVP respectively
NEWS, 6
Fischer bridges eras
Former MU center reflects on his memorable three-year career
Volume 101, Number 23
SPORTS, 12
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016 SPJ Award-Winning Newspaper
Searching for space
Fewer resources influences nonCatholic groups By Alex Groth
Students speak on campus harassment, microaggressions
alexandria.groth@marquette.edu
When the Rev. Jessica Short wheeled a Crock-Pot dinner to Lutheran Campus Ministry’s reserved study room, she wasn’t expecting a locked door — again. “No one can open them, because that’s past business hours,” she said, adding no one knew why the doors were locked. Short, the director of LCM, made the best of it — she didn’t complain. The group moved outdoors, eating together as usual. Locked doors aren’t new for Short, who’s served as the part-time Lutheran pastor on campus for nine years. Every year, LCM files a request for a weekly time slot in a study room. She said the study room was unavailable about six times this year, and locked without warning about three other occasions.
By Clara Janzen
clara.janzen@marquette.edu
facing eviction. Marquette law students volunteer for the Eviction Defense Project where they work alongside staff from Legal Action of Wisconsin and other volunteer attorneys from the Milwaukee area. As student volunteers, they work side-by-side supervising attorneys to understand a client’s immediate housing situation and try to determine what options are available to them. Volunteers
often go with their clients to their hearing with the Commissioner or try to negotiate a resolution with their landlord or opposing counsel. The Eviction Defense Project, started in late December, aims to ensure that low-income residents don’t lose their housing unfairly. “Our main goal is to improve housing stability,” Raphael Ramos, director of the Eviction Defense Project, said.
Frequently, landlords do not follow proper procedure with book keeping and allow tenants to live on month- to-month oral agreements. “The condition of housing can be deplorable,” Carolyn Garski, a Marquette law student who volunteers at the Eviction Defense Project, said. Garski had a client who was
The Islamic Prayer Room in the Alumni Memorial Union has been vandalized twice, once in November after the presidential election and once in the days following the release of the second travel ban. While the damage was not permanent or large-scale, it was noticeable and highly upsetting to students. A Muslim student, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of being harassed, said, “I use the prayer room often, and so do some of my friends. It was hurtful to know people would vandalize that space. We don’t deface any of the Christian symbols that are on campus.” The Islamic Prayer Room incidents led to the installation of a security camera in the hallway. It is unclear if those responsible for the vandalization can be seen on tape or if they have been caught. The original instance of vandalization did go to Marquette University Police Department, but no charges ever came out of it. Mary Sue Callan-Farley, director of Campus Ministry, said, “After the first vandal-
See EVICTION page 7
See MUSLIM page 2
INDEX
NEWS
MARQUEE
OPINIONS
Tour of Wild Hall
50 years of music
Democracy Project
Photo courtesy of Yana Rawinski
A lack of gathering space makes it hard for groups like Lutheran Campus Ministry (above) to meet.
When the room isn’t available, LCM gathers at restaurants, coffee shops or student apartments. They are never in a space they call
solely their own. On the surface, the issue appears to be related to space, but Short said it’s begun to symbolize something more:
the lack of a voice, especially in the relationship between religious groups on campus. See RELIGION page 4
Law students give back to community Volunteers help tenants facing eviction in MKE By Madison Marx
madison.marx@marquette.edu
More than 12,000 eviction suits are filed in Milwaukee County every year. And some Marquette students are giving hope to those low-income tenants
Muslim prayer space tarnished
CALENDAR......................................................3 MUPD REPORTS.............................................3 MARQUEE.......................................................8 OPINIONS......................................................10 SPORTS..........................................................12 SPORTS CALENDAR .....................................13
An inside look at what goes into building residence hall
PAGE 3
Local venue near Mashuda Hall hopes to attract students PAGE 8
EDITORIAL: Interdisciplinary course sets excellent example PAGE 10