Holiday u. Attendance policy should accommodate all students see OPINIONS, page 6
STREET STYLE The campus is falling back on
CROSS COUNTRY Rutgers set to compete at
see CULTURE, page 8
SEE sports, BACK
classic denim pieces during our abnormally hot fall
Metropolitan Championships on Saturday
WEATHER Partly cloudy High: 64 Low: 53
Serving the Rutgers community since 1869. Independent since 1980.
rutgers university—new brunswick
THURSdAY, OCTOBER 12, 2017
online at dAilytargum.com
U. will not return $100,000 Weinstein donation amid harassment allegations Alexandra DeMatos Editor-in-Chief
The money from the Weinstein Foundation will go toward the Gloria Steinem Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies to promote women’s leadership in the media. WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Rutgers stood firm in its decision not to return the $100,000 gift bestowed to the University by the H. Weinstein Family Foundation in April despite multiple allegations of sexual harassment against the producer. The donation was given to the University as part of a campaign to raise $3 million for the Gloria Steinem Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies, said Lisa Hetfield, director of the Institute for Women’s Leadership (IWL). The chair is a result of the collaboration of IWL, the School of Communication and Information and the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies. It is the first of its kind, which addresses the intersection of feminist studies and media culture, she said.
The University first announced that the donation would not be returned to the foundation on Saturday, one day after The New York Times reported that Weinstein had been paying off people who accused him of sexual assault for decades, which ultimately led to his termination from his own production company. “The allegations of sexual assault and harassment of women by Harvey Weinstein are appalling and indefensible. More work is needed to advance women’s equality and the $100,000 donation by the Harvey Weinstein and the H. Weinstein Family Foundation to help fund the Gloria Steinem Chair in Media, Culture and Feminist Studies will help those efforts,” said Dory Devlin, director of University News and Media Relations. Yesterday NJ Advance Media reported that the University of
Southern California turned down a $5 million pledge from Weinstein made more than a year ago, while Rutgers reaffirmed their decision to keep the donation. The announcement came during the Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance’s “Turn the Campus Purple” week, an annual campaign that aims to raise awareness for dating and domestic violence and about a week after University President Robert L. Barchi declared Rutgers’ commitment to protecting students from sexual violence, discrimination and harassment after Education Secretar y Betsy DeVos decided to roll back Title IX rules and regulations. “We are committed to equity, fairness and respect for all of our students who may be personally See DONATION on Page 4
Domestic violence vigil illuminates College Avenue campus Christina Gaudino Correspondent
On the evening of Tuesday, Oct. 10, the College Avenue campus was illuminated in purple. Purple luminaria bags lined the sidewalks and a congregation of about 30 students gathered on the steps Brower Commons for an annual candlelight vigil for survivors of dating and domestic violence. The Rutgers Of fice for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA) started the vigil in 2013. It is one of several events part of VPVA’s week-long “Turn the Campus Purple” campaign in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Attendees carried purple votive candles and many sported the “I Support. I Prevent. I Speak” t-shirts distributed by the Student Affairs End Sexual Violence campaign. Two crisis advocates from VPVA were also present. Two undergraduate students, Lily Decky, a School of Arts and Sciences senior and Imani Ali, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, worked together to moderate the event. They began by sharing information about VPVA, emphasizing that they are a confidential resource offering 24-hour crisis intervention and support. “In New Jersey in 2014, one act of domestic violence occurred every 8 minutes and 47 seconds,” Ali said to the audience. She shared that nearly one in three adult women experience at See VIGIL on Page 4
Students gathered on the steps of Brower Commons Tuesday night for a candlelight vigil that was part of the Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance’s “Turn the Campus Purple” campaign. DIMITRI RODRIGUEZ / PHOTO EDITOR / OCTOBER 2016 VOLUME 149, ISSUE 88 • University ... 3 • opinions ... 6 • CULTURE ... 8 • Diversions ... 9 • SPORTS ... BACK