11-14-19

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UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA CEDAR FALLS, IA

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 116, ISSUE 22

OPINION

UKULELE CLUB

WRESTLING

OPINION PAGE 3

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 5

SPORTS PAGE 6

Opinion Columnist Abigail Bennethum discusses the importance of art.

UNI’s ukelele club, Uke-N-I, holds weekly meetings.

Six Panther wrestlers finished first in their season opener.

UNI community packs REC town hall ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

More than 200 UNI students, faculty and community members attended a town hall hosted by the UNI Racial and Ethnic Coalition (REC) at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11, exceeding the capacity of the University Room in Maucker Union. “I just want to take a second to appreciate all of you for coming,” said senior communications major and REC member Sashay Carroll. “We were not expecting this turnout whatsoever. I’ve never felt so supported by my community than I do in this moment.”

To accommodate the large crowd, a live stream was set up across the hall in the Oak Room. Allies in attendance were asked to give priority for students of color to be in the University Room, and many willingly gave up their seats to view the event from the live stream. “We really appreciate allies being here, and this is also a space for you, [… but] students of color’s voices do come at a higher price in this area because we are talking about issues pertaining to students of color,” said senior psychology major and REC member Mahlia Brown. “If you do have questions, that is fine,

TONI FORTMANN/Northern Iowan

but give precedence to students and faculty of color. This is a safe space for allies to listen.” The event began with a summary of the formation of REC and the launching of their social media campaign, #UNIisnotanAlly, following the UNI administration’s “inaction” regarding mutually agreed-upon goals. The 13 members of REC introduced themselves and urged attendees to join one of the group’s four committees: PR/Social Media, Research, Recruitment and Focus. “If you are not helping to fight against racism, you are complicit with racism,” Carroll said. “Ya’ll know that, right?” REC members also addressed recent actions taken by UNI administration,

including the Climate Survey sent to the UNI community on Oct. 30, which, according to Brown, had not been sent for three years. REC members have created their own additional climate survey, linked on their social media accounts, which they urged attendees to complete. The floor was then opened for all attendees to ask questions and for students of color to share their experiences at UNI. Students described marginalization, racial profiling by university police and classroom microagressions, hurtful comments or actions that members of minority cultures experience in their day-to-day interactions. “It’s hard being a black student here, so it’s hard to tell people ‘Come to UNI!’ when

I don’t know that I love being here,” said senior economics major Rachel Greene, a member of Student Admissions Ambassadors (SAA). “But I love my education, so for those of you [here] that are professors […] thank you for coming, because it really means a lot to students of color like me who don’t see this here ever.” In addressing the multiple faculty members present, students expressed their frustration at being asked to be the sole educators regarding their culture. Instead of relying on students of color to explain their own history, Brown said, faculty should educate themselves regarding cultural competency. See TOWN HALL, page 2

ISSO collecting winter clothing donations SOFIA LEGASPI

Campus Life Editor

With the early arrival of winter in Cedar Falls, UNI community members are encouraged to clean out their closets and donate extra winter outerwear for international students. Gently used coats, jackets, hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, boots and other winter clothing can be dropped off at ISSO in Maucker Union 113. Donations are also accepted at the Study Abroad Center in 103 East Bartlett Hall. “Many of the students who arrive in Iowa, they are not properly prepared for the

winter. They don’t know how hard the winter can be here,” said Isabela Varela, director of the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO). “They know what is cold, but they cannot imagine or have experienced this kind of cold and how dangerous it can be.” Aside from underestimating Iowa weather, Varela brought up the financial burden that winter attire can place on international students. While it is a burden that all students can face, she said, most other students at UNI are from the Midwest and already prepared for winter. See CLOTHING DRIVE, page 5

SOFIA LEGASPI/Northern Iowan


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