08/23/2016 Independent Fall 2016 First Issue

Independent

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Northeastern Illinois University

www.neiuindependent.org

Vol. 36 Issue 1

Welcome

Check out our back-to-school spread! pg. 14

Sports

Early season predictions for NFC East and West. pg. 22

A&L

Historical Day for NEIU pg. 02 Music in its purest form: a musical workshop. pg. 11

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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

NEWS

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Campus housing opens for the first time Pablo Medina NEIU’s first-ever campus housing, The Nest, was completed during the summer and it is open for students to apply for, tour and live after its historical ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 19.

The Nest can house 440 residents and in an article published on Aug. 10, President Sharon Hahs told the Chicago Tribune that approximately 200 students have signed leases this year.

Under the direction of Keith Cosentino and assistant Jo Peña, the building accommodates students looking to rent a room with one to three other students in two-bedroom or four-bedroom units, respectively.

According to neiustudenthousing. com, rent installments are due on the first of August and December, maintenance and professional staff are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Utilities are covered by the housing fee, with the exception being electricity, which is covered to a cap.

Any electricity consumed beyond the cap is the responsibility of the resident involved. The building includes Wi-Fi hot spots and Internet in every apartment.

“To the left of the entrance is a red wall, which doubles as a whiteboard for students to use for study sessions and creative expression,” Peña said.

In addition to the red wall, tables and desktop computers are accessible for group study and computer work.

On the opposite side of the work area is an entertainment lounge, containing arcade cabinets, ping pong tables and LCD televisions for viewing.

“All TVs are hooked up to cable, which has around 140 channels, in-

Pablo Medina

Resident Assistants pose outside their new home for the semester. The Nest, NEIU’s first student housing, opened Aug. 19

cluding HBO,” Pena said.

Not only is the entertainment lounge an opportunity for residents to enjoy and relax, but public events, such as ping pong tournaments and video gaming sessions, are also a possibility for which students to get engaged.

“We do plan to hold public or private events in this area, which the residential assistants would be responsible for hosting,” Peña said.

Near the entertainment lounge is a fully equipped fitness center with weights, treadmills, step training machines and open spaces for stretching.

Mail and package delivery is also available for students directing their mail to the Nest’s address — 3659 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. — with individual boxes for letters and small packages,

while larger packages would be held by the front desk.

Another feature of The Nest is the team of eight student Residential Assistants: Martha Lopez-Salazar, Morelia Diaz, Larry Thigpen, Uriel Saldivar, Khalil Suleiman, Isabel Vargas, Adriana Mata and Oscar Lopez.

“It seems like we’re going to be like a guardian away from home,” Diaz said. “It’s interesting to see how they’re going to react to us and training prepares us for the worst situations ever that I didn’t expect would happen here.”

Residential assistants are trained to plan activities for students and to point out resources available on campus. These activities are supposed to serve as stress relieving outlets for student residents.

“I think I’m going to expect some roommate conflicts, roommates are going to have issues with their rooms, and they’ll just need to know the sense of the community not only in the Nest, but the main campus as well,” Thigpen said. “It’s important for us as R.A.’s to not only be patient with them, but also to guide them in the best possible way and to be a resource.”

In addition to their work and responsibilities, strong bonds between R.A.’s are also formed.

“It has been truly a blessing to be here, to be a part of this amazing team, and knowing that we’ll be making a difference to the lives of incoming freshmen,” Suleiman said. “We’re here to give them a path that they can feel comfortable with, to report them

to resources that they need to really be in touch with, so we can help them be the best person they can be.”

The first-ever student housing complex to belong to NEIU is open and ready for that first day of school “I think it’s going to be a positive experience for us and the residents because they’ll be able to develop as a person and as a student,” Vargas said.

“I’m excited to work with this team because I think we’ll be able to be that support system for each other, as well as for the residents.”

For expressing any opinions or concerns, visit the Independent’s Office located at LWH room E-049!

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NEWS

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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Hahs: I will always cherish this university

Courtesy of NEIU

President Sharon Hahs officially retires Sept. 30 after nine years as NEIU president. She is the second woman president of NEIU

Laura Rojas NEIU President Sharon Hahs announced her retirement from her position set to go into effect Sept. 30 of this year.

Hahs has served as NEIU president for nine years. She said in a press release that she previously postponed her retirement due to the financial crisis NEIU encountered when a state budget was not declared for the last fiscal year.

When all was uncertain with NEIU’s ability to hold up under such

circumstances Hahs said that what aided the university most was one key factor in past school initiatives.

“We worked collectively to follow the guidelines with regard to developing reserves,” Hahs said. “The planning paid off.”

This helped keep NEIU afloat. A stopgap budget was signed by Gov. Bruce Rauner on June 30 to help keep NEIU open.

NEIU received approximately $29 million in state funding and now that the university isn’t in as much jeopardy of clearing out its reserves

as it had been last year, Hahs said she feels more comfortable stepping down.

Hahs said that first on her list post-retirement is simply waking up in the morning and enjoying a cup of coffee on her porch for as long as she pleases.

Also on her list there is gardening, a new learning experience for her, as well as eclipse chasing with her husband; they have already seen 11.

Hahs said she will enjoy having more time for rest and relaxation.

Although she will still be quite busy

with her position as a board member for the accreditation council for pharmacy education as well as doing consulting work for higher education.

Hahs recalled her arrival and early moments at NEIU, particularly the dedication of the College of Business and Management and said, “I loved being here when we did it but I didn’t do any of the work that got us to that point, that was under the previous president.”

There were, however, several accomplishments of NEIU that Hahs

has helped achieve. Examples include the construction of the new home for El Centro and The Nest, NEIU’s first ever student housing, are among her accomplishments.

“Now I am leaving some things for the future to finish,” Hahs said.

For now provost Richard Helldobler will serve as interim president until a new university president is elected by the board of trustees. He will serve until April 1, 2018.

Hahs said that the decision to make Helldobler the interim president upon her retirement was an easy one. She relayed her certainty that NEIU will be in good hands. She said that it took him only 15 minutes of being here to get him hooked and she feels he truly cares about the students and the university.

Helldobler is fully aware of NEIU’s budget constraints and struggles and has worked closely with her in keeping NEIU going through this crisis; she said she was confident he will do well.

The budget will be an ongoing problem that Helldobler will keep facing at least through the fall.

“Until the November election there will be no action in Illinois,” Hahs said. And though it may be hard, she said NEIU should certainly make it steadily through this year.

Hahs said that NEIU will be reaching its 150th anniversary and she feels that the university will survive yet another 150 years to come.

“I will always cherish the university,” said Hahs. She explained that she plans on visiting now and again to see how NEIU will be holding up and continuing to grow.

When prompted to choose what she thinks she will regret most about her leaving NEIU, Hahs said, “I will miss everything.”

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NEWS

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Helldobler named interim president Rut Ortiz Provost Richard Helldobler has been appointed interim president of NEIU after President Sharon Hahs announced her retirement effective Sept. 30.

As his interim status is set to go into effect Oct. 1, Helldobler said in an email that discussions for his replacement are currently underway.

“I’m honored that they’ve given me this opportunity.” Helldobler said.

“There are some times that it’s overwhelming. I have an opportunity to make a difference in student success.”

During his time as provost, Helldobler witnessed the changes the university has gone through since he first stepped on to the campus.

“What I found was this incredibly special, interesting place but an academic affairs division that really hadn’t adopted a lot of best practices,” he said. “So a lot of the things that we were doing were sort of current things around 15 years ago.”

In regards to the provost’s interim status, SGA President Nicholas Martinez said, “Having Provost Helldobler as our president, I guess, was something that needed to happen only for the fact that President Hahs was leaving.”

A resolution sponsored by Secretary Jessica Alaniz and Treasurer Max Caviness, co-sponsored and signed

by Vice-President Yessica Garcia, and signed by President Nicholas Martinez on July 11 stated concerns that, “Provost Helldobler does not have the experience to lead a University through the difficult time that we currently see within our State.”

The resolution instead endorsed Dr. Daniel Lopez, vice-president for Student Affairs.

“Dr. Lopez has been a great asset to the student body and has done

Courtesy of NEIU

After three-and-a-half years as provost, Richard Helldober was named interim president July 26.

everything possible to improve the student experience within Northeastern Illinois University,” according to the resolution.

Martinez said on Aug. 10 through Facebook Messenger that he looks forward to the next chapter at NEIU. “I was not expecting things to happen the way they did, however I look forward to a new beginning

and hope that in this year I and Helldobler can accomplish much together. We have many differences but we are stronger together than apart,” Martinez said.

In an Aug. 15 email, Helldobler said he feels very qualified and excited to take on this new responsibility.

“I have 28 years of experience in higher education,” Helldobler said. “I

have held every position in the traditional trajectory leading up to the presidency. I have been an assistant, associate and full professor; department chair; dean of liberal arts; associate provost and provost.”

Helldobler was an American Council on Education Fellow, which he said, “is higher education’s premier leadership experience” and he is also

a graduate of the Harvard Executive Management Institute.

Helldobler has experience working through difficult budgets in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and he said, “has provided valuable context for the current situation in Illinois.”

As far as applying for the position, Helldobler said he is undecided.

“I think it would be a mistake to just appoint someone as the president without a national search,” he said. “I welcome a national search. Whether I’m an applicant or not, I think I will wait and see.”

The Board of Trustees will put together a leadership profile and different constituency groups across campus will be able to provide feedback about what should go into it.

However, that is how the search is traditionally done and not necessarily how NEIU’s Board of Trustees will approach it.

His appointment comes at a time when NEIU is going through a stopgap budget from the state of Illinois that it set to keep the school afloat until the U.S. presidential elections in November.

“We’re hopeful that after the November elections that there will be a budget for the balance of this year and that we’ll have a normal budget cycle for next year,” Helldobler said.

“I think that’s what we’re hoping for and what we’re advocating for. What I want students to know and I want faculty and staff to know is that right now we’re stable.

“We will be able to run our classes, we will be able to pay our faculty, we will be able to pay our staff.”

As to whether or not there would be a spring semester, the interim president answered, “Of course,” without hesitation.

“And a summer,” he added.

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NEWS

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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The Presidential Race of 2016 Kate Hilliard The 2016 presidential race has been drawing on the hard lines that already existed between the Democratic and Republican parties.

The two candidates running for presidency are Hillary Clinton for Democrat Party and Donald Trump for the Republican Party. Hillary Clinton, a career politician and Chicago local, from Park Ridge and Donald Trump hailing from New York.

Trump who is the main proprietor of some 13 or more Trump Towers including one here in Chicago.

Other candidates include Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. In January 2016, Johnson announced he intended to run for presidential election as a libertarian candidate. Some platforms for the libertarian party include individual freedom, social liberty, free market standards, and non-interventionist foreign policy, though they remain divided on abortion regulation.

Johnson, of North Dakota, identifies with the Republican Party and graduated with a degree in political science from the University of New Mexico in 1975. Johnson served as the governor of New Mexico for two consecutive terms, the first to serve two consecutive terms as governor in New Mexico.

Another Chicago-born candidate, Jill Stein, represents the Green Party with her running mate, Ajamu Baraka, a human rights activist. Stein graduated as magna cum laude from Harvard University, where she focused on psychology, sociology, and anthropology.

Following her undergraduate career, Stein went on to receive her doctorate from Harvard Medical School in 1979. Stein practiced as a physician, rallied for environmental

Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Donald Trump (left) and Hillary Clinton (right) will go head-to-head in November for presidency.

responsibility, green jobs, and education.

Where candidates stand on the issues: On taxation: There are differences in how the Democratic and Republican Parties address the tax code in their respective party platforms.

The Democratic Party Platform references tax codes under the subtitle, “Making the Wealthy Pay Their Fair Share of Taxes” where they state, “Democrats will claw back tax breaks for companies that ship jobs overseas, eliminate tax breaks for big oil and gas companies, and crack down on inversions and other methods companies use to dodge tax responsibilities. We will make sure our tax code rewards good businesses that make investments and provide good-paying jobs here in the United States, not businesses that walk out on America.”

Under the Republican Party Platform, the current tax code is

criticized. In reference to the current corporate tax rate it states, “A more damaging policy is hard to imagine.”

In regards to international business and finance, republicans stated their intention to lower corporate taxes to “be on par with, or below, the rates of other industrial nations.” Both the Democratic and Republican parties indicate that they intend to promote transparency in financial matters both nationally and abroad.

On fair trade and technology: Republicans reference the world wide web in their platform under the segment titled “Building the Future: Technology.” Republicans call for “an international order that maintains a fair and open market for America’s goods and services.” The Republican Party promotes their aim to “advance policies that protect data privacy while fostering innovation and growth ensuring the flow of data across borders.” The Republican Party Platform elaborates on their agenda

to “facilitate access to the spectrum by paving the way for high-speed, next generation broadband deployment and competition on the Internet and for Internet services.”

The Democratic Party Platform cites their aim to “significantly strengthen enforcement of existing trade rules and the tools we have, including by holding countries accountable on currency manipulation and significantly expanding enforcement resources.” In regards to international trade agreements and subsidies, the Democratic Party Platform states trade should “promote innovation of and access to lifesaving medicines. And it should protect a free and open Internet.”

On Natural Resources, Public Health, and Energy: The Republican Party Platform makes it clear that they view the Democratic Party’s energy policy negatively. “The Democratic Party’s energy policy can be summed up in a slogan currently

popular among its activists “keep it in the ground.” Solidifying their preference to expand mining and coal operations, the Republican Party Platform states “Keeping our energy in the earth will keep jobs out of reach of those who need them most.”

Surprisingly, both the Democrats and Republicans seem to be invested in ensuring that coal communities and their families are cared for, whether or not coal is destined to be a resource that the U.S. continues to rely on in the coming years.

The Democratic Party vows to fight climate change while not leaving any community behind “including the coal communities who kept America’s lights on for generations,” though the Democratic stance on the use of natural resources for energy varies drastically from the Republican consensus.

The Democratic Party Platform cites intentions to “make new investments in energy-producing communities” and to “oppose threats to the public health of these communities from harmful and dangerous extraction practices, like mountaintop removal mining operations.”

Additionally, the Democratic Party Platform supports the EPA “under the Clean Water Act to establish proactively science-based restrictions on discharges of dredged or fill material associated with (metallic sulfide deposits),” while recognizing the “significant impacts” that agricultural practices can impose on national water, land, oceans, and the climate.”

While the actual election is only two months away, the presidential debate is scheduled for Sept. 26 and the vice-presidential debate for Oct. 4.

The candidates will have further opportunities to discuss the hard lines that already separate them.

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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

NEWS

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Among world’s elite:

NEIU’s College of Business and Management Rut Ortiz NEIU’S College of Business and Management has attained the highest accreditation that a business school can earn: recognition from The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International. The accreditation was official as of Aug. 9.

“It’s a specialized accreditation,” said COBM Dean Michael Bedell.

“You really have to meet the standards that exist. It’s about ensuring quality.”

According to the AACSB website, 761 business schools stretching across 52 countries are accredited.

AACSB began in 1916 and is the oldest accrediting body for business schools. Less than 5 percent of schools globally are accredited.

“It’s a market quality,” he said.

“And so that should really increase the value of the degree.”

The new accreditation affects both current and past students because it impacts the value and desirability to potential employers of a candidate graduating out of NEIU with a business degree.

“There are employers who don’t want a student that comes out of just any business program,” Bedell said.

“It should make them more marketable. You wouldn’t go to a doctor that didn’t take the time to sit for the medical boards. You wouldn’t go to an accountant who wasn’t a CPA.” The new status of COBM will not be printed on future degrees.

However, NEIU is a state university based in Chicago with the prestigious accreditation shared with business institutions like Northwestern University, DePaul University, University of Illinois and University of Chicago.

Courtesy of NEIU

NEIU’s College of Business Management was recognized by the AACSB for the first ever on Aug. 9.

“Effectively this business school subjected itself to voluntary scrutiny by its peers and said, ‘Are we the best?’” Bedell said. “It’s really an opportunity to keep us connected to (the) industry and that’s part of what this accreditation requires you to do.”

The initial steps toward accreditation include a formal notification and application from the school in question to AACSB wherein after-

wards AACSB assigns the school a mentor. For example, the mentor for NEIU was the dean from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. The school then does an assessment of itself and its curricula in order to make certain that AACSB standards are being met.

“There are 21 standards,” Bedell said. “Only 20 applied because we don’t have any doctoral programs.”

When asked whether or not

classes will evolve or become more difficult in order to compete with the private universities and fellow public universities, Bedell said that it is not about how hard the classes are but about the content taught.

“Are you delivering what’s current?” he said. “Businesses go in a thousand different directions. Are you delivering a good, solid, general business degree that provides founda-

tion for all of those? We do.”

Bedell said that he hopes that the future of the COBM is growth.

“We now have a high-quality stamp on the college of business,” he said. “If I can give you high-quality, low cost and I can do diversity better than anybody else in Chicago—if not most of the country—that’s kind of a great combination.”

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NEWS Police Blotter The following offenses occurred at NEIU’s main campus between June 22 and Aug. 18: June 22 – Parking Lot J: An unknown offender struck and damaged a vehicle parked in the lot.

June 23 – B Building: An unknown offender stole tires from a victim’s bike off a rack.

June 28 – Parking Garage: An unknown offender struck and damaged a vehicle parked in the garage.

June 29 – Athletic Field: An unknown offender wrote graffiti inside of the baseball dugout.

July 05 – COBM: A subject of a disturbance was escorted outside to Lot D. July 15 – COBM: A hostile female was screaming at employees.

July 18 – Day Care Center: An older female and child were trespassing in the playground after hours.

July 21 – BBH: A student reports that someone was stalking her. The offense is currently under investigation.

July 21 – Access Road: Gator bags were stolen from several locations on campus.

Aug. 8 – Parking F Lot: An accident involving two vehicles was reported. No injuries were reported.

Aug. 9 – LWH: A subject was escorted off of campus.

Aug. 12 – E Building: A bag was found with health related items in it.

Aug. 12 – D Building: A threatening note was left on the door of financial aid.

Aug. 12 – Parking Lot J/The Nest: The fire alarm may have been triggered by heavy rain.

Aug. 15 – BOB: An unknown offender scrawled graffiti on the outside of the building.

Aug. 18 – Parking Lot J/The Nest: A system error occurred that caused a false alarm.

The following offenses occurred at NEIU’s CCICS campus between July 18 and July 27: July 18 – Fire Alarm: A system error occurred that caused a false alarm.

July 27 – Disturbance/Fighting: A report was made about a fight in the women’s washroom.

The following offenses occurred off of NEIU’s main campus: July 12 – Motor Vehicle Offense/No Driver’s License: Two Citations and an I-Bond were issued.

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NEIU: Lead Advisory Institution Rut Ortiz NEIU has been named a lead advisory institution by the National Association of Student Personnel Administration.

It is the fifth year NEIU has been a member of NASPA and the first as an advisory institute.

“We are now considered an advisory institution which is a big deal,” said Kris Pierre, NEIU senior director of academic and community partnerships.

NEIU will advise NASPA regarding Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement targeting projects pertaining to community service and service learning.

Pierre said that as a public university, NEIU provides education for the professional world and

democratic engagement provides training to become a good citizen.

“It means we are advising NASPA on what are best practices for community engagement,” Pierre said.

“Students that get engaged in their communities are much more likely to be retained and be academically successful. What we need to do as a university is help (students) understand how that relates to what they’re learning in the classroom.”

The initiative stretches for one academic school year and Pierre said that the recognition by NASPA means that, as an institution, NEIU is doing work to the point where we can provide leadership to other campuses.

“Community engagement is just a different way of being engaged,” Pierre said.

As both an urban campus

and Hispanic Serving Institution, examples of NEIU’s civic engagement successes include the TurboVote initiative engaging voter participation among students, the student food pantry and alternative spring break programs promoting community service with the experience of traveling.

“It’s a tribute to our students, faculty and staff,” Pierre said. “Our students are involved in their communities. It’s a part of who our students are.”

Pierre said that this is important to students because it makes learning relevant while engaging the students’ head and heart.

“That’s real nitty gritty Northeastern.”

NEIU Names John Escalante Police Chief Press Release NEIU has hired Chicago Police Department First Deputy Superintendent John Escalante as its next Chief of Police, effective Sept. 7.

Escalante will retire from the Chicago Police Department after 30 years with the department. He started as a patrolman in 1986 and worked all the way to the top, serving as interim superintendent from Dec. 1, 2015, to March 28, 2016.

“John Escalante has a national reputation in the field of law

enforcement for his experience, integrity and leadership,” President Sharon Hahs said. “We welcome him to the Northeastern Illinois University community as we work together to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our students, faculty and staff.”

The position was posted nationally, and Northeastern received more than 140 applications. A ​ n eightmember ​search committee conducted preliminary interviews with 10 applicants and invited four finalists to the University. The all-day finalist

interviews included a question-andanswer s​ession open to all faculty, staff and students, plus meetings with the search committee, police officers​and dispatchers, upper-level administrators, the Behavioral Concerns Team, and the Emergency Management Team. Everyone who attended ha​ d​the opportunity to provide feedback about the finalists.

Escalante replaces James Lyon, who departed in March 2016 after more than 10 years at Northeastern to become Director of Public Safety at Augusta University in Georgia.

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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Opinions Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief Brett Starkopf Managing Editor Robin Bridges Production Editor Pablo Medina News Editor Rut Ortiz Opinions Editor Courtney Munson Sports Editor Spencer Jones Arts & Life Editor Jason Merel Online Editor Christan Gralak

Independent Staff Copy Editor Desiree Dylong Grace Yu Production Staff Cecilia G. Hernandez Staff Writers William Castro Laura Rojas Marketing Director Samantha Sandowski Payroll Manager Saddaf Waseem

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ASAC makes a difference on campus Ishtar Yakoo Calling all Assyrian youth of Northeastern! Shlama ilokhon, jwankeh o khamata! It is highly likely that you want to leave a mark on the world, make some kind of change, and feel accomplished as a person.

Opportunities as great as this one don’t pop up often, and this is your chance to make a difference not only in Chicago, but back home in our ancestral land as well.

Whether you are Chicago born and bred like I am, or whether you’ve landed here for a variety of reasons, our people need this bright, youthful generation to preserve our historic and delicate culture, language, and of course, delicious food.

Have you ever asked yourself what you’ve been doing to benefit your Assyrian community? The Assyrian Student Association of Chicago is the perfect opportunity to leave your mark. Step up and join your dark-haired, dolma-eating, doweh-drinking companions and make a difference in the Assyrian community.

If you come from a different culture and have hardly heard of the Assyrians, you are more than welcome to join ASA here at NEIU. We are the kind of people who keep our hearts and minds open to

other cultures and enjoy educating our neighbors and friends about our very own lively culture as well. You can thank our ancestors in Sumer (modern day southern Iraq) for the invention of the very first written language! ASAC happens to include a lot more fun than the term “association” within the name suggests.

ASAC, which unites Assyrian youth of Chicago, began with the passion and patriotism of a few bright young leaders.

Ur Gabriel, founder of ASA at NEIU and of ASA of Chicago (the whole association), came up with the idea for ASAC along with Raman Michael of UIC, the education director of ASA’s main board; Adessa Kiryakos from Loyola, the secretary of ASA’s main board; Sarha Abraham from Loyola, the humanitarian director of ASA’s main board.

Several different Chicago universities have an ASA chapter, and together, we are a part of something bigger: ASAC. When asked what inspired her to begin such a powerful organization, Gabriel addressed her “passion and love for the Assyrian nation.”

“In the past, I had done some work in the Assyrian community — similar to what ASAC does right now — and I loved it,” Gabriel said.

Through her love for the Assyrian nation, she has motivated many Assyrians to not only join ASA, but to be proud to tell others about our contributions to the community as well.

“After ISIS broke out in Iraq, I felt it was really important to find some type of platform for Assyrians in Chicago to unite and to work towards preserving who we are,” Gabriel said.

It is important that we, as the products of our powerful and intelligent ancestors, work towards practicing and preserving our culture within our hearts, minds, and homes.

With familiarity and practice of our culture’s traditions, we can really call ourselves Assyrians.

A culture so historic, and yet still so brightly powerful because of individuals who not only see the importance of keeping it alive, but who really feel the pride and enjoyment in doing so.

The lucky campus students involved are attending school at NEIU, University of Illinois at Chicago, and Loyola University.

We look forward to having another chapter bloom once our hardworking and dedicated member, Steve Yousif, gathers his Depaul colleagues!

The larger our club is, the more we can educate not only our nation’s

people, but our non-Assyrian friends as well.

Gabriel acknowledged achievements of ASA here at NEIU. “We’ve been able to unite a lot of Assyrians at the school,” Gabriel said.

This network allows for the “exposing of our culture to non-Assyrians.”

Gabriel continued, “Assyrians are an endangered species, an endangered heritage, and a lot of people don’t know who we are, how old we are.”

Assyrians around the globe paraded and celebrated along the streets of cities such as Chicago and Sydney on Kha B’ Nisan (April 1) to mark the New Year as 6766. Because of our ancestors in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq, Syria, Iran, and Turkey), we Assyrians have been celebrating and partying longer than anyone you know. ASAC is one of the most enjoyable organizations you have the opportunity to join.

Each and every one of our ASAC family members makes a difference in our fun, unique, chai-loving community. It’s your turn to grab a hand and make this roaring line of khigga (traditional Assyrian folk dance) even longer.

For more information when meetings will be held during the fall semester, contact, Simona Piro at shpiro@neiu.edu.

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Opinions White Hollywood Robin Bridges From “Prince of Persia” to “Avitar: The Last Airbender” Hollywood’s presentations of people of color is unacceptable. Why does Hollywood insist on pillaging other countries for their history and culture but not human capital? Is it profit? Is it hubris? Or is it straight up racism?

While some of the blame can be placed on screenwriters who write one-dimensional or stereotypical roles for characters of color, it is in the hands of casting and direction.

In a video named Actors on Actors by Variety Magazine on YouTube, Kerry Washington and Aziz Ansari interview one another on how race has played a role in their casting experiences.

“Before ‘Scandal,’ I was actually cast in two other pilots. Both went to series but I was fired and recast,” Washington said. “And for both it was because they wanted me to sound more ‘girlfriend,’ more like ‘hood,’ more ‘urban.’”

Washington and Ansari spoke about coded language used in Hollywood to keep actors of color in those stereotypical roles. For years Hollywood elites have used white actors to portray people of color in movies. The old mantra being “there simply aren’t enough [add ethnicity here] actors to fill these roles. We are using the actors available.”

That is simply not true anymore.

“Every person who’s not a straight white guy has their version of this,” Ansari said. “I feel like a lot of times when true stories are adapted, people that look like us are not the main people.”

Actors walk a fine line, on the one hand they portray someone else. On the other hand, characters that are authentic to them are desirable. How does an actor balance getting paid and staying true to who they are?

Casting directors and directors have an image in their mind when they have a script before them. But casting Matt Damon in every movie is going to get old for both audiences and Damon as well. He can play Jason Bourne only 20 more times before it’s time to recast.

When white actors play all the parts they start

to become interchangeable.

While independent films are getting bigger and bigger budgets with every film festival review, the mainstream studios rest on their laurels casting actors with big names instead of actors who can bring that role to life.

Authentic roles - roles that are as close to actual human response as possible hit audiences hard and keep them coming back for more.

Studios like Netflix and Hulu have done well premiering shows that audiences identify with, binge watch and beg for more.

These issues go far beyond coded language and whitewashing in films. One of the most disillusioning to me was the backlash at the casting of a black actress to play Hermione in the Harry Potter London stage play “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”

The character was written as a black girl or at least a girl of color. The major movie machine took her character and cast Emily Watson, who is an amazing actress but white.

However, let’s be real, most people think of British people as white. There are black folks in Britain too ya’ll!

Yellow face, brown face, black face, gay face is casting a character in either a stereotypical role or a role obviously meant to be played by another race. They are also damaging to the community affected and also to the story itself. In order to tell good stories they have to include the people they actually happened to.

List of whitewashed movies in the past five years: Gods of Egypt Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon Doctor Strange Noah Exodus:Gods and Kings Warm Bodies Argo Wanted Batman Begins Passion of the Christ

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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Local establishments to eat, drink, play Robin Bridges The opening of the Nest will bring a group of students who permanently reside in the neighborhood. There are also students who spend many, many hours on campus writing papers, reading books and being generally studious.

To these students, I welcome you to the neighborhood. There are times in all of our days on campus where Cafe Descartes and the Eagles Nest Cafeteria simply will not do.

This is when we must venture off campus to find good eats, strong drinks or a little relaxation.

To the North:

Wanderers’ Refuge

Lincolnwood Town Center

4546 N. Western Ave., 2.7 miles away

3333 W. Touhy Ave., 2.3 miles away The local mall offers morning walking hours from 8-10 a.m. Mall shops open at 10 a.m. to serve all your general mall needs. Across the street there is a Wal-Mart and 3 blocks east is Target.

This corner of Touhy and McCormick (Kimball) has all of your home and body needs covered.

Great Food & Beverage Co.

3149 W. Devon Ave, 1.7 miles away This kosher diner offers an eclectic menu including Chinese, American and Middle Eastern food. They offer both a dairy and a meat menu for those keeping in religious restriction but also those who are not.

This game store offers a little something for everyone. There are unique games and weekly meets ups to suit everyone.

Stop by to buy a new game for yourself or to play with others. They’re open until 10 p.m. most days and midnight Friday and Saturday.

Courtesy of Nick and Natalie’s Infinite List

Jaafer Sweets

4825 N. Kedzie Ave., 1.4 miles away Open until 10 p.m. every day they have 10 types of Baklava and a wide variety of vegan dessert options.

They’ll go nicely with your coffee or tea.

Ruby’s Fast Food

3740 W. Montrose Ave., 1.9 miles away This cash-only Filipino restaurant serves halo-halo and has a weekend buffet.

To the East:

Courtesy of Interesting Ideas

Ugly Hookah Cafe

3415 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., 0.7 miles away The three room hookah hangout is BYOB but open until 4 a.m. most days, 5 a.m. on Sunday. Less than a mile from campus they offer music, Middle Eastern coffee and tea.

Courtesy of Wanderers’ Refuge

Chicago Brauhaus

4732 N. Lincoln Ave, 2 miles away

Closed on Tuesdays, this German restaurant offers seven German beers on tap and almost two dozen beer and wine selections.

With huge portions and authentic German food people usually come for the atmosphere.

Live music most evenings and dirndl-clad waitresses let you believe you’ve gone all the way to Bavaria for that bratwurst and spaetzle.

courtesy of Planet 99

To the South: Courtesy of Mrs. Gemstone

Lindo Michoacan

3148 W. Lawrence Ave. (restaurant entrance on Kedzie, Grocery Entrance on Lawrence), 1.5 miles away.

Courtesy of Europopboi

This restaurant grocery store combo is open late and the only place for miles where you can buy carnitas by the pound and several different types of tortillas fresh any day of the week.

Tre Kronor

3258 W. Foster Ave., 0.9 miles away

A Swedish restaurant that offers more than pancakes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner connected to the Sweden Shop. Cute, Swedish home things make great additions to a room or gifts, when finals make your forget birthdays and holidays.

Courtesy of Marc Heiden

Back To School www.neiuindependent.org

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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Making the Best of Your First College Week 10 Tips from a junior to freshmen, transfer and returning students Pablo Medina 1. Relax and chill out!

What’s the first thing students do when something suddenly doesn’t go as expected? We panic, and then stop before we start.

When the going gets tough, stop dead in your tracks, take a breather, and think ‘Everything is going to be okay.’

Think of your objective, which is probably getting to your next class or visiting the bookstore for that last minute textbook required for your morning class.

2. Keep track of your stuff everywhere you go.

Even “grownups” forget things and keeping all your stuff together is key.

Remember every spot you stop to drop your stuff and before you leave, ask yourself, “Do I have everything that I have taken out of my bag?”

If you haven’t opened your bag yet, there’s a good chance nothing has been lost. But how would you know unless you check, right?

3. Visit every building, not just the ones you’ll be going to often.

Whether you have amazing directional skills or can read a map like it is no one’s business, whatever you use will not be as effective as learning the path by taking it.

It’s important to visit the campus where you will be taking classes. If you’re on the main campus, visiting the Ronald Williams Library is especially important, as the many

floors of the library offer different atmospheres and different uses.

For example, the first floor of the library can be considered the quick research floor and a quick stop for coffee at Descartes Cafe. You can rush right in there and print something quick or do some immediate searching for information.

However, the third floor of the library is meant more for private study and most importantly, silence.

The fourth floor houses tutoring by subject and welcomes group work so conversations are a bit louder than whispering.

It is best to know the layout of the university, especially for the various parking lots and building names. It will save you a lot of time and headache knowing where you’re going.

4. Manage your time and attention.

Classes will go on as planned whether you went out of your way to get a muffin from the vending machines or not.

Not only will managing your time help you stay organized and prepared for trouble, punctuality is a big deal to professors. If the student gives the teacher the right time, respect and attention, the teacher will do the same. Otherwise, be prepared to be stuck on your own time still figuring out your schedule.

In order to manage your time efficiently, remember every class time, place and tool needed. Show up early to class, so that you won’t have to substitute one minute of lecture

with five minutes of explaining why you couldn’t go to the bathroom on your own time.

5. Find a friend that can help you through the experience.

Having someone around that can help you hold your stuff while you look for a book or your phone, or just listen to your problems and offer a reasonable solution, goes a long way.

Everyone finds at least one person to talk to, even on the first day. So build any bridges with people that look forward to seeing you and helping you through school experiences.

For starters, Freshman Navigators are the perfect people to have around.

Their job is to help students, so don’t ever feel uncomfortable asking a “dumb” question, because they’ve been in the same place as you some year(s) ago.

Two, they already know enough about the school to immediately tell you something from their personal experience.

Some examples are like how to balance schoolwork and studying, what to expect of some venues on the campus like the completely studentrun Independent Newspaper, WZRD radio station or the health services center, and options for lunch beyond the college lunchroom and bookstore.

6. Plan your eating time around the empty spots in your schedule.

You will not know how quick an hour goes until you have a footlong sandwich and a long discussion with your friend about why the lunchroom

doesn’t stock the superior spork utensil.

Suddenly in college, an hour feels cut in half, and you may think that everything is going by fast.

The important thing to remember is to keep an eye on the time as you eat, at least for the first week, and plan ahead for what will be next on your agenda.

Also, plan how much you’ll be eating to avoid snacking through class.

7. You pay tuition so sit in class like you want to learn and make it count.

We all know that student who arrives to class, sits in the back and decides to eat loudly, take a nap, or do anything else but listen to the teacher.

Teachers are not student babysitters. They are in their position to teach and inspire students.

Those that sit to the front or middle of the class in view of the teacher, that readily participate and that appropriately ask the teacher for more help, usually end up getting the best grades. If the professor sees effort, the professor will be more willing to help you in the long run.

8. Know how to immediately contact the campus police.

NEIU Police can be contacted by phone by calling 773-442-4100. The campus police department can be found on the first floor of the parking facility. If you are off campus and in trouble, dial 911 for emergency services.

9. Clean up, inside and out, for a more pleasant experience.

Too often I have seen people in their pajamas, with terrible coffee breath, giving other people the displeasure of having to smell body odor from a sweaty night of sleeplessness.

While I respect everyone’s choice in how they handle their hygiene, some people clean up and attract others while some are slobs who are okay with wearing the same shirt they slapped a slice of pizza on and didn’t wash. First impressions matter, and they are critical if you want any help from anyone, anywhere in life. Even if you feel lazy and want to stay in your pajamas, it would be great if you at least take a shower and brush your teeth. The noses of countless peers will thank you.

10. Always maintain your zen.

Your zen is your cool, your attitude, the thing that makes a person themself. You are in control of your actions and words, so keep everyone’s space and thoughts in consideration all the time. You may come across the best friend you’ll ever have or the worst person you’ve had the displeasure of knowing. One thing is for certain: college is the time and place to meet new people, to learn new challenging ideas and methods and to work toward an ultimate goal that is different for everyone.

I hope these tips have helped our readers and students, both old and new, and I wish everyone a stress-free first week of classes.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 2016

Northeastern Illinois University’s Main Campus Building C (Sachs Administration) Academic Affairs Affirmative Action Office of the President Student Affairs

Lech Walesa Hall (LWH) Computer Labs Academic Departments Advisors Study Abroad Coordinators Lecture Halls Rented Student Lockers Proyecto Pa’Lante Technology Services

Building A Academic Advising Accessibility Center Building D Foreign Language Lab Adult and Women Students’ Program Student Support Services College of Business and Management Counseling Financial Aid Student Employment Building B Vertans’ Affairs Computer Lab Dean of Students Honors Program International Program PS Nontraditional Degree Programs Placement Office Student Leadership Development Student Government

A

The Nest

Classroom Building (CLS) Academic Development College of Business and Management College of Education University Computing

Building E Independent Office Auditorium Bookstore Health Service/First Aid WZRD Radio Student Lounge Decartes Cafe Village Square Infomation Center

W N

S

E

Student Union (SU) Comfy Couches Quiet Study Room with a view Alumni Hall Cafeteria Peace Garden (Outside) Fine Arts Center (FA) Practice Spaces Year Round Art Exhibits Recital Hall Artisan Workshops

Child Care Center (CH) Athletic Field (AF) Tennic Courts (TC) Facilities Managment (FM) Building F (Stage Center Theatre) Grounds Maintenance (GM)

NEIU’s El Centro Campus 3119 N. Pulaski Rd.

Science Building (BBH) College of Arts and Sciences Green House Labs Computer Lab Study Areas Vending Machines Microwave Water Fountains Ronald Williams Library (LIB) Learning Support Center Trio Teacher Resources Media Resource Center Decartes Cafe Copy Center Computer labs Private Study Rooms Student Conference Rooms Reserved Textbooks Chicago Archives Public Safety (PS) Parking Office Campus Police Temporary Parking Passes Physical Education Complex (PE) Exercise Center Pool Climbing Wall Ropes Course Showers/Lockers Basketball Courts

First Floor Library Resource Center Computer Labs Student Lounge

Third Floor Coffee Lounge Outdoor Terrace

Jacob H. Carruthers Center for Inner City Studies (CCICS) Campus 700 E. Oakwood Blvd.

First Floor Student Conference Room Coffee & Hot chocolate Machine Third Floor Admissions Financial Aid Student Services Fifth Floor Learning Support Center Computer Lab Sixth Floor Library

Back To School

14 Tuesday, August 23, 2016

www.neiuindependent.org

Golden Perspectives: Voices of NEIU

What do you think students should do to prepare for the semester?

Maureen Terese Amos and Mildred A. Jackson Director and Associate Director of the Financial Aide Office

Just remember it’s not as hard as you think it is, so come in early.

Stop in to speak with Financial Aide before the first day of class. Be sure to submit all required paperwork from the Financial Aide Requirements channel on NEIUport. We are currently working on completing as many files as possible. Apply for FAFSA in the Fall for the 2017-2018 Academic Year. The MAP Grant cut off is being moved up due to the application opening up in October. We want to host Oktoberfest with student organizations to promote the early FAFSA application.

Pat Ruch Office Support Associate, Department of English Know where your classes are and have your books before the first day of class.

Imelda Yabes, Sarah Griffin, and Irene Alikakos Admissions and Records Officers, College of Business Management

Come and see them as soon as possible, and before the semester begins. Register for classes before they get cancelled. See your advisor months before the semester begins.

If you are an incoming student, go to the orientations offered. Join clubs, have your IDs made, and a locker set up. Find out about scholarships early, so you don’t miss them. Remember that the school is still open in the summer, we are still here.

Timothy Libretti Department Chair of English

Come with enthusiasm, an open mind, a good attitude, and a desire to learn. Also, have an understanding that they will need to invest time and effort in their classes in order to learn.

Jeanette Hernandez Administrative Aide, Department of World Languages and Cultures

Listen to your professors, get some rest, and study hard. Try to front load your courses by doing as much work in the beginning so the rest of the semester is easier.

Any experience with Adobe InDesign, Then come by the Photoshop or Illustrator?

!

www.neiuindependent.org

A&L

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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Woodwind Wonders:

Mozart as it was meant to be Pablo Medina Clarinetist and arranger Marie Ross revitalized the art of playing classical music on authentic instruments.

She presented the Historical Clarinet Workshop in August, in which she elaborated on the nature and works of Classical and Romantic-era clarinets.

“It’s really difficult to get information about historical clarinet in the United States,” said Ross. “Right now, it is still something being mainly done in Europe.”

The workshop was hosted by Dr. Rose Sperrazza of the Music Department.

Ross led the first night with the discussion of the importance of self-expression and choice in performing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A minor.

The piece was accompanied by former Chicago Symphony Orchestra principal clarinetist Larry Combs and current CSO principal clarinetist Charlene Zimmerman.

On the second night, Ross performed clarinet and basset horn compositions from the works of Viennese artists in the Classical Era such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven and Anton Eberl.

Ross was accompanied by the elegant piano playing of Dr. Kay Kim from the Department of Fine Arts and violinist Dave Moss.

The third night, Ross and Kim performed the first two Clarinet Sonatas of Johannes Brahms and the Three Intermezzi for Clarinet and Piano by Charles Villiers Stanford, in an event titled “Because of Mühlfeld”,

named after Richard Mühlfeld who influenced both composers to write said pieces.

For the performance on the final night, Ross presented the results of her intensive four-day training with participants of the workshop playing classical pieces on different historical clarinet reproductions, including performances of some of Mozart’s Divertimentos.

“I don’t expect for all of the people that came to this to change their life goals and become historical clarinet players,” Ross said. “I think some of them are inspired to do it but even for the ones who aren’t, it’s more about, as modern players, getting a sense of the original instruments that Mozart was writing for, what they sounded like, and what the differences are.”

Ross has earned numerous degrees for her work in music, specifically in modern and historical clarinet studies, ranging from her Bachelor of Music in the Eastman School of Music to her Doctorate from the University of North Texas in 2015.

Ross’s interest in playing historical clarinet came about in 2004 during her time with the San Francisco Orchestra.

“I was at the workshop of Daniel Deitsch, who is an instrument repairman for the San Francisco Symphony,” Ross recounted. “One of the clarinets was a five key, then I tried it, and I didn’t know any of the fingerings or anything, but it was just the experience of making that sound.”

Ross was allowed to try Deitsch’s clarinet to understand the warmth and candor of its tone.

“It was a much sweeter sound and a softer sound, but an intimate sound,” Ross explained. “I just fell in love with it immediately.”

Throughout her career, Ross toured nationally and gave lectures on the importance of Classical clarinet compositions, the performance of historical clarinet and the presentation of contemporary works on the modern clarinet.

Marie Ross is a strong proponent in the effort of challenging the formality of music performance in the United States, encouraging more of the personal side of musical expression similar to that of European performances.

“When I play music, my biggest motivation is to make someone feel something and experience something to affect them,” Ross said. “When I’m preparing a piece of music or interpretation with a group, I try to think about all the different colors and characters, much like opera, to capture people’s attention and imagination.”

Ross’s performances on historical clarinets molded the sensation of the classical pieces with mellow, yet full sound emanating from the boxwood instruments.

In addition, Ross’s basset horn playing showed the historical instrument’s large sonorous range and rich tone, rivaling even the finest of modern clarinet expression.

“The experience I would like the audience to take away is that this music is living,” Ross said. “It’s not dead, and it’s not a sacred thing that we have to worship and do in this perfect way. It’s for us to interpret and to experience, and that’s what I think music is always for.”

Pablo Medina

The Historical Clarinet Workshop gives musicians the chance to play early clarinet reproductions, as the music was originally meant to be played.

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www.neiuindependent.org

Fall TV preview Grace Yu Clear your calendars!

Fall is coming and along with it, new television programs. Some of the best shows currently running aren’t airing on traditional TV networks, but are being released in new and innovative ways by streaming giants Netflix, Amazon and Hulu.

With this in mind, here are some premieres of new upcoming shows that push the envelope, lead the pack in distribution methods, or somehow or another challenge the industry status quo.

“Queen Sugar” (OWN) Creators: Ava DuVernay and Oprah Winfrey Series premiere (two nights): Sept.

6 and 7 at 9 p.m. on the Oprah Winfrey Network Cast: Dawn-Lyen Gardner in the role of Charley Bordelon West; Rutina Wesley (who you may have seen previously on “True Blood”) and Kofi Siriboe as Charley’s siblings.

What to expect: Based on the novel by Natalie Baszile, “Queen Sugar” centers on the story of a Los Angeles woman named Charley who has inherited a sugarcane farm in Louisiana from her father, receiving an opportunity for a fresh start in life.

The show will be Ava DuVernay’s TV debut, so expect lots of “Black Girl Magic” from DuVernay and fellow industry entertainment and media queen Oprah Winfrey. Ava and Oprah are also collaborating again for “A Wrinkle in Time,” to be released in 2017, for a budget of $100 million (DuVernay will achieve an industry first for a woman director of color).

Ava was, of course, made famous by 2014’s “Selma,” but before widespread recognition, she had

McBeal,” “The Practice” and “Boston Legal”. We can expect solid stuff from Kelley and seasoned leading man Thornton, who plays a disgraced lawyer hoping for redemption.

“Good Girls Revolt” (Amazon Studios)

Courtesy of OWN Network

Season 1 has yet to premiere and OWN Network’s “Queen Sugar” has already been renewed for a second season.

also made documentaries and lesser-known indie films such as “Middle of Nowhere” (2012) and “I Will Follow” (2010).

Available now: “Selma” is available for Amazon Prime subscribers, and the movies “Middle of Nowhere” and “I Will Follow” are streaming on Netflix.

“Easy” (Netflix) Creator: Joe Swanberg, Chicago local Release: Sept. 22 at 12:01 a.m. PT on Netflix Length: eight episodes Cast: including Orlando Bloom, Malin Akerman, Jake Johnson (a frequent Swanberg collaborator), Marc Maron, Dave Franco and Hannibal Buress.

What to expect: According to the official Netflix press release, “Easy” is an anthology series from creator Joe Swanberg that explores diverse Chicago characters as they fumble through the modern maze of love, sex, technology and culture.”

Swanberg (who according to a 2014 Chicago Tribune story makes his home in Lincoln Square) is known for micro budget films such as “Dig-

ging for Fire” (2015), “Happy Christmas” (2014) and “Drinking Buddies” (2013). He is known as a “mumblecore” filmmaker, among a group of filmmakers named so for their actors’ improvisation of dialogue and tendency “to mumble” their speech.

Swanberg is also known to frequent Revolution Brewing in Logan Square for both personal patronage and for filming projects.

I am eager to see if this new series will accurately represent Chicago – or at least certain facets of Chicago life (and to see if any places that were shot in the series are recognizable).

Available now: Swanberg’s movie “Digging for Fire” is available on Amazon Prime, and “Happy Christmas” and “Drinking Buddies” are streaming on Netflix.

Welcome to television, filmmakers!

Another noted movie director is trying his hand at programming for the small screen. Allen’s new series is a period comedy set in 1960s America, with the prospects of an eclectic cast (Miley Cyrus and Elaine May).

The trailer promises plenty of characteristic Allen-esque awkwardness, as displayed in a scene in which Allen’s character, an aging barbershop client tries to get a haircut like James Dean’s.

“Crisis in Six Scenes” (Amazon Studios)

What to expect: This show was ordered straight-to-series by Amazon. If at first confusion strikes over who the eff David E. Kelley is (and why Amazon didn’t consider taking him on as a huge gamble), know that he is a master of the legal drama, and the creator of numerous legal shows from the 90s and early 2000s, the best-known of which are “Ally

Creator: Woody Allen Release: Sept. 30 on Amazon Length: six episodes Cast: Allen himself, Rachel Brosnahan, Miley Cyrus, Elaine May What to expect: DuVernay, Swanberg, and now Woody Allen!

“Goliath” (Amazon Studios) Creator: David E. Kelley and Jonathan Shapiro Release: Oct. 14 on Amazon Length: 10 episodes Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Tania Raymonde, William Hurt

Creator: Dana Calvo (and executive produced by Lynda Obst) Release: Oct. 28 on Amazon Length: eight episodes Cast: Genevieve Angelson, Anna Camp, Erin Darke, Chris Diamantopoulous, Grace Gummer as Nora Ephron, Joy Bryant as Eleanor Holmes Norton (formerly a lawyer with the ACLU, and today a House of Representatives delegate from D.C.) and Jim Belushi as Wick McFadden, an old-timey (and a little misogynistic) news magazine exec.

What to expect: Loosely based on real events and inspired by the book “The Good Girls Revolt” by Lynn Povich (who became Newsweek’s first woman senior editor in 1975), this newsroom drama features a strong female cast starring Angelson, Camp, and Darke as young news professionals going through feminist awakenings. Joy Bryant (previously seen on Parenthood) plays a very pregnant attorney, Eleanor Holmes Norton, who helps a group of 46 newswomen sue their employer, the fictional News of the Week magazine, for sexual discrimination.

Grace Gummer plays the late writer Nora Ephron (as in: “Sleepless in Seattle” and “When Harry Met Sally” Nora Ephron) in her journalist days (fun fact: Gummer’s mother, Meryl Streep, played a fictional version of Ephron in Ephron’s 1986 movie “Heartburn”).

Available now: The Season one pilot episode is up on Amazon.

www.neiuindependent.org

A&L

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

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Networks

Series to WATCH out for...

Showtime “Masters of Sex” Season Four Premieres Sept. 11 Seasons one through three are now streaming on Hulu.

ABC “How to Get Away with Murder” Premieres Sept. 22 Several episodes from Season two are now streaming on Hulu.

“Transparent” Season Three Releases Sept. 23

“Red Oaks” Season Two Releases Nov. 11

Seasons one and two are now streaming.

Season one is now streaming.

“The Mindy Project” Season Five Premieres Oct. 4 Seasons one through four are now streaming

“Black Mirror” Season Three Premieres Oct. 21

“Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life” Releases Nov. 25

Seasons one and two are now streaming.

Seasons one and two are now streaming.

FOX “The Last Man on Earth” Season Three Premieres Sept. 25 Season one and two are streaming on Hulu.

“Mozart in the Jungle” Season Three Releases Dec. 9 Seasons one and two are now streaming.

The CW “Jane the Virgin” Season Three Premieres Oct. 17 Seasons one and two are now streaming on Netflix.

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www.neiuindependent.org

‘Portable’ exhibit moves to NEIU Brian Quevedo

Courtesy of Jeffrey Abt

“Portable Museums and Other Kinds: Works by Jeffrey Abt” will be on display in the Fine Arts Center Gallery Aug. 22 through Sept. 16. (except for Labor Day, Sept 5)

NEIU is hosting its first art exhibition of the Fall semester on Aug. 22 in the Fine Arts Gallery, beginning with “Portable Museums and Other Kinds: Works by Jeffrey Abt.” The artist talk will take place on Sept. 15 at 7:00 p.m. and there will be a reception the following day from 6-9 p.m.

Jeffrey Abt, an artist, writer and a professor in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art and Art History at Wayne State University, is widely known across the U.S. for his artwork revolving around museums and the visual effects his artwork has on audiences.

Abt’s work might be a different style, compared to Tyler Bohm, Rachelle Hill and Millicent Kennedy, the other artists who will be exhibiting their art in the fall, but this is also what will make the art gallery so diverse and unique, according to Heather Weber, director/curator of the NEIU Fine Arts gallery.

Having been exposed to art as a child also played a factor.

Being taken by his parents to the local art museum in Kansas City at an early age, he was able to observe the beauty of art and eventually learned to appreciate it.

“I became interested in becoming an artist around the time I was in seventh or eighth grade,” Abt said in an email interview. “My realization that I might be able to make this kind of work a full-time career came while I was in college. I started taking classes with art professors who were able to make a living by teaching and who were also able to continue producing work and exhibiting it widely.”

Abt was able to follow in similar footsteps as his professors and traveled the U.S. and abroad for group and solo art exhibitions.

Throughout his years of traveling, Abt was able to find inspiration for his work in the countries he visited. Particularly, in the Negev of southern Israel, the Sinai and areas along the Nile in Egypt.

Weber shared this similar experience while growing up in Oxford, Ohio as a child.

“My father was an artist, so growing up I was able to see all of his work,” Weber said.

Weber eventually moved to Chicago in order to receive her masters degree in art history.

Before joining NEIU, she was the Chicago Gallery director of Northern Illinois University.

Although being known worldwide for books and famous paintings sounds nice, it requires plenty of hard work and commitment.

“Being successful as an artist requires stamina and determination, and the understanding that artistic accomplishment is based on about 1 percent inspiration and about 99 percent hard work,” Abt said. “An excellent work ethic and discipline are indispensable.”

Many seem to believe that their life goals and dreams are their destiny, but can they really be attained without failure and commitment?

When experiencing Abt’s work for the first time there is a sense of perseverance and determination to try and understand the true meaning behind every detail in his paintings.

The very same feeling you get when trying to solve a mind-boggling puzzle but perhaps this might be done with a sole purpose.

According to Abt, his art is designed to not only captivate his viewers for “contemplation,” but also “heighten viewers’ awareness of museums and galleries as transient places where works of art come and go.”

This artwork is just the beginning of what’s to come this fall semester.

Make sure you’re there to experience it all for yourself. The exhibit runs until Sept. 16.

Upcoming exhibits Sept 26 - Oct 21 Millicent Kennedy & Rachelle Hill Oct 24 - Nov 18 Tyler Bohm: The Future is Behind Us

www.neiuindependent.org

A&L

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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Java & Mug: Café for the studious Cecilia Hernandez After I transferred to NEIU last fall semester, I was looking for a place with good vibes and light chatter to host me while I worked on my papers.

There are many places at NEIU that would have sufficed, like the library, computer labs, study rooms or on the comfy couches in the Jerome Sachs Administrative building (affectionately dubbed the Beehive).

However, a colleague of mine had asked if I wanted to grab a smoothie from a place east of campus on Bryn Mawr.

Eight minutes later, I encountered Java & Mug. At first, I did not notice the coffee shop. The outside looks pretty lowkey, as if it tries to not call attention to itself. If my colleague hadn’t pulled my arm to stop me, I would have walked right past it.

Located at 3247 W. Bryn Mawr, Java & Mug eschews any negative distractions like flashing signs or annoying lights, which is essential for any student attempting to focus on their work.

We walked in and instantly I knew I had found my place.

Filled with many comfy couches, loveseats, chairs, and living room tables, Java & Mug’s atmosphere felt like home away from home.

Overall, a welcoming environment awaited me at Java & Mug. I was awestruck by how calm I instantly felt, which made my colleague laugh.

She knew exactly how I was feeling. “Welcome to my little safe haven,” she said.

The hostess came to greet us happily.

She handed us the menu, and left us to decide on our order. Java & Mug

offers a variety of beverages, from coffee and espresso, to smoothies and bubble tea. They also offer light paninis and desserts that would satisfy most appetites.

What surprised me most was how great their turkey panini tasted.

I fell in love with their mango and pineapple smoothie.

It was amazing!

As we found an empty couch to relax on, I kept looking around the nicely lit coffee shop.

I observed the people interacting with each other.

I noticed a few friends playing

Uno while a few others worked on their laptops intensely.

Many people chatted while others calmly finished their lattes.

We started up a conversation with a group of students next to us.

We were surprised to find out that not all of them attended NEIU. Some of them studied at Wright College while others studied at UIC. By the time we bothered to check the time, we had spent two hours conversing with no sense of time passing.

I left Java & Mug smiling, knowing I would be back again soon to enjoy its quiet elegance.

FREAKY

FAST! FREAKY

GOOD!

SERIOUS DELIVERY!

TM

Cecilia Hernandez

With comfy couches and a relaxed atmosphere, Java and Mug will be your home-away-from-home.

TO FIND THE LOCATION NEAREST YOU VISIT JIMMYJOHNS.COM ©2014 JIMMY JOHN’S FRANCHISE, LLC ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

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Tuesday, August 23, 2016

A&L

www.neiuindependent.org

Bucktown brew masters break boundaries Rachel Hall Enjoying a cold brew on a hot day or after a hard day of work is a pastime that many of us enjoy.

I myself could stand a Michelob or two on occasion, but it wasn’t until I moved to this great city of Chicago that I realized how many local breweries existed.

One in particular, The Blue Nose Brewery, piqued my interest.

Not only is it near where I live but this place is unique in its own right.

A couple of beer enthusiasts got together five years ago in a small Bucktown apartment where they wanted to create simple and complex brews for diverse palates.

Today they’re located at 6119 East Avenue in Hodgkins IL, southwest of Chicago.

I purchased a two-hour package that included a behind-the-scenes tour of this quaint and alluring establishment.

Walking through the doors was like entering a scene from “Cheers,” where everybody knows your name.

There are interesting beer names as well as ingredients.

Justin Martin, the tour guide for the evening, whisked me through to the tap room where all the magic happens.

Compared to other local brewers, the Blue Nose Brewery is small in comparison, which adds to the ambience of it all.

There are five enormous vats in the brewery.

When you visit — and I insist that you do — you can sample their latest brews.

The end of summer brews such as Citra Ave (with its top note of citrusy aroma and flavors), East End and LeGrand are my favorites.

Robin Bridges

Blue Nose Brewery started with a home brew. Brew master Justin Martin (left) encourages anyone 21 and older to try home brewing.

The early fall and winter brews like the XXX Honey and the MDA lager (with its oatmeal accents) are highly recommended and very delicious!

What they brew, they keep in house, so you won’t find the Blue Nose brand in any stores.

They can be found in a few eateries on occasion but I think it is better to drink directly from the barrel it is produced in.

Martin also gave us some advice on home brewing. For beginners, he recommends starting with a basic kit.

These kits can be purchased for about $100 online or from local brewing stores.

From there, making your first few batches is pretty simple.

There are three main types of brewing: concentrate brewing, allgrain brewing and partial-mash brewing.

All of which start with the grain of your choice, usually rye or barley but keep an open mind to experimentation.

For example, Blue Nose’s XXX Honey and Pipa start with a corn

mash that give the beers a crisp, light flavor.

Since they started as a home brew, Justin fully advocated getting into the brewing craft. There are a handful of brew stores located in Chicago but only one in the neighborhood.

Stores like Brew & Grow offer brew classes, kits, ingredients and equipment right in the store. Located at 3625 North Kedzie, the store is a 10 minutes away from the main campus.

They also offer resources for urban horticulture and space for hosting private events.

Blue Nose Brewery 6119 East Avenue Hodgkins, Illinois M-TH 3 p.m.- 12 a.m.

F-S 12 p.m.- 2 a.m.

Sunday 12p.m.- 10p.m.

Brew & Grow 3625 North Kedzie Chicago, Illinois M-F 11 a.m.- 7 p.m.

Sat 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m.–5p.m.

www.neiuindependent.org

Sports

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Love: I was a person that never gave up Continued from back page “We lost him back in ‘72, but yet now people still remember him.

He just really made an impact, and I think it shows in general, how teachers, professors, those in that role can make all the difference.”

This year’s guest speaker for the event was former Bulls legend Bob Love. Love currently serves as the Bulls Goodwill Ambassador, spokesperson for the National Stuttering Federation of America, and board member for the National Brain Injury Association of Illinois. He ranks third on the Bulls’ all-time scoring list and was the second player to get their number retired by the organization.

What’s arguably more impressive than his career in the NBA, was what he did after retirement. Love battled a speech impediment his entire life, one of the reasons he switched from playing football in college to basketball. During his professional career he didn’t speak much, but once he was forced to retire because of a back injury his speech difficulties were exposed.

“I was a person that never gave up.” Love explained to the Independent after finishing his last round of golf. “I never played the victim, and all through grade school, high school and college I never had speech therapy. I had speech therapy after I re-

21

Cubs starters get hot at right time Brett Starkopf

Brett Starkopf

Bob Love spoke about overcoming a lifelong stutter at the Chevy Chase Golf Club in Wheeling, Aug 8. Love played eight seasons with the Chicago Bulls from 1968-1976. His No.10 was retired in 1994.

tired and I couldn’t get a job. I had to start off washing dishes and bussing tables at Nordstrom, and they offered to pay for my speech therapy. I was fortunate to find a great speech therapist, and now I’m the number three motivational speaker in the country. I have such a great story to tell.”

His story, which was turned into a documentary and soon a movie,

2016 Chuck Kane Golf Event by the numbers: Scholarship recipients: 146 (14 in 2016) Golfers: 1,213 (113 in 2016) Total endowment: $424,723 Money raised in the past 10 years: $281,337 ($27,448 in 2016)

can be used to motivate every student to step onto Northeastern’s campus.

Love concluded the day of festivities with an emotional speech that was received with a standing ovation.

He explained, after basically being shunned and humiliated because of his speech difficulties, he got a second chance to share with the world everything he had to say.

“It felt like the weight of the world jumped off of my shoulders. I started therapy some years ago, and I advanced up in the company. They (NBA) were having the all-star game is Seattle. The article that was on front of the sports page was Bob Love learns to talk. It just so happened that a representative for the Chicago Bulls was there; and they called me the next day and said Bob we would like for you to come back to Chicago. And I

worked at the director of community affairs for the Chicago Bulls. The next day I got on the phone with the owner of the Chicago Bulls, Mr. Jerry Reinsdorf. He said Bob we want you back in Chicago. I came back here some years ago, and I never looked back.”

Love and Chuck Kane have a lot in common; their love for people, the desire to help shape future generations and their overall commitment to do well. Though Kane is no longer with us, his legacy continues to live on through each person that knows about him. His scholarship is offered to students in the College of Arts and Sciences, Business Management, Graduate College and the College of Education. To find out more about Chuck Kane and how to apply for the scholarship, visit neiu.edu/kane.

For the second year in a row, the second half of the season has boded well for Cubs pitching. Last year, Jake Arrieta posted historically dominant numbers going 12-1 in 15 starts with an 0.75 ERA. Batters hit an abysmal .148 against him en route to his first ever Cy Young award.

Though Arrieta has looked more human this season, the second half has still favored him and the rest of the Cubs pitching staff, most notably Kyle Hendricks and Jason Hammel.

Hammel has been known to struggle coming off the all-star breaks. Last season, his first full with the Cubs (he was traded to Oakland before the 2014 break along with Jeff Samardzija for Addison Russell) Hammel posted an elevated 5.10 ERA after a very respectable 2.86 during the first half.

This season, through the small sample size of six starts (as of Aug. 19), Hammel is 6-0 with 0.95 ERA with batters only hitting .172 against him. What’s even more impressive is his success might be attributed to a rather odd diet: Potato chips.

After having to leave a July 7 start against the Milwaukee Brewers with cramping in his right hand, the Cubs’ team doctor prescribed him potato chips. MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat wrote that the doctor said Hammel needed more potassium and potato chips were the answer. The start against the Brewers (a 4-3 loss) happened to be his last start before the all-star break.

Kyle Hendricks has been a surprise. Prior to the season, not one expert would have picked to be in Cy Young contention but as of Aug. 19, Hendricks is currently third place in the National League with a 2.19 ERA and even though he may not win any hardware this year, he should receive votes.

22

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Sports

www.neiuindependent.org

NFL Predictions: NFC East

Graphic by Spencer Jones

Christian Gralak The Fall semester is here.

That means football season is right around the corner. After talking about the NFC North and South in our summer issues, it’s time we focus on the East and West. Here are my predictions for their respective divisions.

2015 NFC East

Washington Philadelphia New York Dallas

W L 9 7 7 9 6 10 4 12

2015 NFC West

W

L

Arizona 13 3 Seattle 10 6 St. Louis 7 9 San Francisco 5 11 Stats from 2015 season, ESPN.com

Dallas Cowboys: 11–5 The Cowboys found themselves in a disconsolate place last season after posting a 4-12 last place record.

They also lost running back DeMarco Murray to Philadelphia.

The good news is that quarterback Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant will be back healthy and ready to go for 2016.

First-round pick Ezekiel Elliott (No. 4 overall) will take over the throne of running back with the support of backups Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris.

With an already strong defense and offensive line, the Cowboys just need to stay healthy and they’ll find themselves back in the playoffs.

New York Giants: 9–7 The Giants were the most injured team three consecutive years in a row.

Talk about bad luck.

After another losing season, Tom Coughlin stepped down and the Giants hired offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo as head coach.

With big spending on defensive players like defensive end Olivier Vernon, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and nose tackle Damon Harrison this offseason, the Giants should see improvement.

Rashad Jennings will be the main running back and Eli Manning is projected to be solid.

The question is, will it be enough?

Washington Redskins: 7–9 The Redskins won the NFC East last year, but if you look at the easy schedule they had, it seems justified.

Kirk Cousins is also in the final year of his contract since no extension was agreed upon. Cousins will need to perform extremely well in order to receive a long-term deal.

The pick-up of wide receiver Josh Doctson in the first round of the draft (No. 22 overall) should make things easier for Cousins who already has a plethora of targets to choose from when it comes to passing.

With a more complex schedule this season, it will be difficult to see the ‘skins increase their wins from last season.

Philadelphia Eagles: 4–12 The Chip Kelly is experiment is overand the Eagles hired former Kansas City Cheifs offensive coordinator Doug Pederson to be head coach.

The quarterback situation between Sam Bradford and first-round pick Carson Wentz (No. 2 overall) is messy because you now have an average QB and a high-risk rookie QB, competing for a spot on a team that hasn’t changed much from last season.

The exception being DeMarco Murray, who should provide an excellent boost of offense.

The Eagles can surprise and go on a winning run, but it will most likely take more than a season for the team to start solidifying.

www.neiuindependent.org

Sports

23

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

NFL Predictions: NFC West

Graphic by Spencer Jones

Arizona Cardinals: 13–3 The Cardinals finished a very impressive 13–3 last season and showed dominance on the offensive and defensive sides of the game. It’s going to be hard to improve on what they did last season considering they averaged 30.6 points per game (second most in the NFL).

Looking addition of defensive end Chandler Jones and return of safety Tyrann Mathieu will only increase the team’s effectiveness on the defensive side.

Look for them to continue their dominance just as they did last season.

Seattle Seahawks: 10–6 With Marshawn Lynch retired, the Seahawks seem to be in some trouble with their running back situation.

Thomas Rawls is the likely option to take over for Lynch, but he hasn’t played in any preseason games so far due to an ankle injury and is just starting to ease his way back into practice sessions.

Seattle should still possess one of the best defenses this season and if quarterback Russell Wilson can continue playing like he played near the end of last year, the Seahawks will find themselves competitive.

Los Angeles Rams: 6–10 The move from St. Louis to Los Angeles will bring the team a new set of scenery and some new fans, but it probably won’t change the fact that they don’t have any elite quarterback running their offense.

First-round pick, quarterback Jared Goff, (No. 1 overall) may be the starter for the Rams this season, but without a consistent flow of production it’s a wait until next year situation.

Who knows, maybe rookie phenom Todd Gurley will be able to carry the offense into a wildcard situation.

San Francisco 49ers: 2-14 The 49ers seem to have been struggling ever since Jim Harbaugh’s departure in 2014.

The Jim Tomsula experiment ended after one season and now they have brought in former Eagles head coach, Chip Kelly.

Curiously, I wonder what Kelly plans to do with the offense, as quarterback Colin Kaepernick is dealing with arm fatigue and hasn’t played like the 2012-13 quarterback we once knew while Blaine Gabbert and the recently signed Christian Ponder are looking for their chance to prove they have what it takes to be the starter.

Whatever happens, odds are the 49ers won’t make the playoffs considering the fact that they averaged a league low 14.9 points per game in 2015.

2016 NFC Predictions NFC North Green Bay Minnesota Chicago Detroit

W

L

14 13 10 8

2 3 6 8

15 11 10 8

1 5 6 8

11 9 7 4

5 7 9 12

13 10 6 2

3 6 10 14

NFC South Carolina New Orleans Atlanta Tampa Bay NFC East Dallas New York Washington Philadelphia NFC West Arizona Seattle Los Angeles San Francisco

2016 Playoff Predictions (Winner in bold) Wild Card: Minnesota vs. Dallas Arizona vs. New Orleans Divisional: Dallas vs. Carolina Arizona vs. Green Bay Championship: Arizona vs. Carolina

Tuesday, August 23, 2016

Sports

www.neiuindependent.org

All you need is Love

Bulls legend gives keynote speech at Chuck Kane Scholarship Golf Event Bulls legend Bob Love walks to the next tee during the 44th Chuck Kane Scholarship Golf Event at Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling | Courtesy of NEIU

Spencer Jones The legacy of Chuck Kane was in full effect once again as his annual scholarship event reached its 44th year. The Chuck Kane Scholarship is the largest scholarship NEIU offers.

Kane was an athletic director and golf coach during his 11 years at NEIU. Since 1973, a year after his death, NEIU has worked to raise scholarship money for students in his honor.

The event, which was held at the Chevy Chase golf course in Wheeling, saw over 100 participants, bringing the total over the years to 1,213.

Kane’s sisters also attended, and they now represent the family’s namesake at events with NEIU. This year’s guest speaker for the event was Chicago Bulls legend Bob Love.

Love currently serves as the Bulls Goodwill Ambassador, spokesperson for the National Stuttering Federation of America, and board member for the National Brain Injury Association of Illinois.

He ranks third on the Bulls’ alltime scoring list and was the second player to get his number retired by the organization.

What’s arguably more impressive than his career in the NBA, was what he did after retirement.

Love battled a speech impediment his entire life. During his professional career he didn’t speak much, and his speech difficulties were exposed once he was forced to retire because of a back injury.

“I was a person that never gave up,” Love said. “I never played the victim, and all through grade school, high school and college I never had speech therapy.”

The former all-star said he never made more than $100,000 during his 11 year career and resorted to washing dishes and bussing tables at a Nordstrom’s in Seattle. There, his boss offered to pay for speech therapy. continued on page 21