xx Dragons Rugby SEE PG. 13
The official news source of Columbia College Chicago
September 6, 2011
Volume 47, Issue 1
www.columbiachronicle.com
G--8, NATO derail
spring semester by Darryl Holliday Associate Editor THANKS TO governments around the
Ting Shen THE CHRONICLE
Students in the Theater Department engage in a rehearsed skit during New Student Convocation.
‘This is my story’ Convocation 2011 marks start of academic year, focuses on inspiration, collaboration
by Sam Charles Managing Editor THE NEWEST installment of Columbia’s
annual welcoming party, Convocation, revolved around a single, unifying theme: inspiration. The college’s administration welcomed back returning faculty and greeted newcomers before the student portion of the day began. Though their ceremonies were held separately, overall themes remained consistent. “We talk about change, and change can be exhilarating, and it can be jar-
ring in some cases,” said President Warrick L. Carter. “Change is not always what we want. But we know that because of the disciplines in which we prepare our students, we can’t stand still. We have to be changing because those disciplines are changing.” Not mentioned in the new students’ ceremony were some statistics that show Columbia’s enrollment is down for the third consecutive year, with a loss of 270 students. As a result, Columbia’s budget has shrunk by $20 million since 2008. The xx SEE CONVOCATION, PG. 9
world, March spring break may be canceled or shortened. It’s either that or a shorter J-term. Because of the weeklong 38th G-8 Summit being held at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lakeshore Dr. next spring, activists around the country have begun planning mass protests to which Columbia’s campus will occupy a front row seat. The meeting, the second time in history where two international summits will be held simultaneously in the same city, will bring global dignitaries and their entourages to downtown Chicago in late May 2012—coinciding with Columbia’s annual Manifest celebration and Commencement. “They’ll be right in our backyard, right here,” said President Warrick L. Carter at the faculty convocation on Sept. 2. “We’ve got to leave our community—the secret service will probably not allow us to be down here.” Crowds of approximately 30,000 people are expected to descend on the South
According to local union activist Joe Iosbaker, an initial meeting to plan for the summit garnered around 200 people, despite the event being nine months away. The intervening time will be spent organizing and obtaining marching permits for what Iosbaker expects will be “tens of thousands” of protestors at “the largest event in seven or eight years.” Columbia will likely have to move the last week of the semester back two weeks in order to get classes finished and students out of the Loop. But the college isn’t to blame if spring break or J-term are shortened or done away with altogether. The city’s Department of Transportation, which oversees event permits—such as the one Columbia would need to host Manifest—only accepts permit proposals within the year the event will take place. A submission for Manifest would not be accepted until January 2012. However, with so many people expected to gather in the Loop for the summit, space for Manifest seems unlikely. Columbia’s three deans, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Interim Pro-
We’ve got to leave our community—the secret service will probably not allow us to be down here.”
-Warrick L. Carter
Loop to protest visiting political officials—many of whom will be staying at hotels surrounding Columbia’s campus— leading to safety concerns and a change in routine for faculty and students.
vost Louise Love and other department chairs—including Film and Video Department Chair Bruce Sheridan—received xx SEE G-8/NATO, PG. 2
New federal guidelines give hope
by Vanessa Morton
Assistant Metro Editor SGT. ALFREDO Nunez, 24, returned to Chi-
cago on Aug. 28 after serving 11 months in Afghanistan. Despite fulfilling his duties overseas, he is now confronted with another war in his own country. Reunited with his loved ones, he is joined by his sister and three brothers— one of whom also serves in the Army—in a fight to save their father from deportation. “They are trying to deport my father for coming here more than 20 years ago,” Nunez said. “He’s a taxpayer just like everyone else and his children are all citizens, so it does anger me a little.” Faced with a battle to gain legal citizenship, the Nunez family came
Arts & Culture
» PG. 20
together with other families on Aug. 30 as Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez held a meeting at the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, 55 E. Jackson Blvd., regarding President Barack Obama’s new deportation policy. On Aug. 18, the Obama administration announced it would begin to review pending deportations on a case-by-case basis. These new prioritization guidelines will help sort out high priority cases from low priority cases, giving more room to deport people who have been convicted of crimes or pose a security risk. “It was announced that there are 300,000 cases of deportation, and after review from the panel, they will take
Brent Lewis THE CHRONICLE
xx SEE IMMIGRATION, PG. 42
Changes to the immigration law stops deportation of any individuals that are not seen as a threat, which means people without any prior police records or issues with the law.
Commentary
» PG. 34
Elmhurst College breaks boundaries Fashion’s Big(ger) Night Out
Asking applicants about their sexual orientation has benefits
Metro South Loop Vice
» PG. 39
INDEX Campus 2 S&H 13 A&C 19 Commentary 34 Metro 37