The Columbia Chronicle, September 9, 2019

PAGE 3: Some CFAC members say summer vote was “rushed”

PAGES 8-9: Work, dance, reflect: The Student Center opens its doors

PAGE 6: LGBTQ+ people create space outside Boystown PAGE 10: OPINION: Straight Pride Parade goers mock the efforts of minorities Volume 55, Issue 2

September 9, 2019

ColumbiaChronicle.com

SOUTH LOOP COMES ALIVE

BURGERS, BEARS AND BILLIARDS

’ SEE STUDENT CENTER, PAGES 8-9, AND NFL COVERAGE, PAGE 14 » MIKE RUNDLE/CHRONICLE

editor’s note

Stop blaming people when corporations kill the planet » BLAISE MESA CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

I

spun around in my chair a few times thinking about what to write for my first editor’s note. This note is the first thing you see when you open the paper and my first address to the readers as co-editor-in-chief. I decided it should be about a topic affecting everyone in my generation—the climate crisis.

As reported on page 13, the planet has 11 years before global warming becomes irreversible. In 11 years, I’ll be 32 and would prefer to not watch the beginning of a dystopian society where the oceans boil. So I was pleased to see a seven-hour town hall dedicated to climate solutions on CNN. But I was disappointed to hear certain responses from candidates.

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) was applauded for her “moderate” approach on the climate crisis and suggested individuals reduce their monthly electric bill to save the planet. She proposed encouraging individuals to compete with their neighbors to conserve the most energy.

As someone with two roommates and a $56 electric bill, I can assure you this is not the right approach.

The climate crisis is an international catastrophe that must be dealt with aggressively. While everyone should strive to reduce their carbon footprint, Klobuchar’s proposal shifts the blame off profit-hungry corporations and onto individuals, ignoring the many ways corporations poison our planet.

A 2017 report by Carbon Majors Database found 100 companies are responsible for 71% percent of global emissions. Even if many Americans were able to significantly reduce their monthly electric bill, their efforts would be in vain.

However, Klobuchar wasn’t the only candidate to place blame on people rather than corporations. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) shied away from putting restrictions on the meat industry—an industry that contributed to the Amazon rainforest fires and deforestation.

Humans do have the capability to improve the environment. In July, Ethiopians planted 350 million trees in one day. Although, planting more trees could help, an April 17 article by CNN estimates 1 trillion trees should be planted to reverse the climate crisis.

It would be more feasible to go after 2 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

MANAGEMENT CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Blaise Mesa Alexandra Yetter

MANAGING EDITOR

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Grace Senior

DIGITAL CONTENT & BRAND MANAGER

Micha Thurston

Miranda Manier

REPORTERS

NEWS EDITORS

REPORTERS

Katherine Savage Kendall Polidori Paige Barnes Isaiah Colbert Dyana Daniels Marielle Devereaux Mateusz Janik Knox Keranen Lauren Leazenby

wasteful corporations and address environmental issues through policy changes.

If all 7 billion people on Earth made

COPY fundamental lifestyle changes, we could combat the climate crisis. But what

COPY CHIEF Margaret Smith

COPY EDITORS Summer Hoagland-Abernathy would be easier: getting 7 billion people Kaci Watt to change or imposing restrictions on a few hundred companies?

GRAPHICS I applaud Klobuchar and the candi GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Maddy Asma dates for having a seven-hour town hall Jennifer Chavez to address the crisis. The dedication to Wesley Enriquez the issues gives me hope for the future of Shane Tolentino our planet.

MULTIMEDIA But candidates must propose aggressive policies and programs to address the SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR Mike Rundle PHOTOJOURNALISTS

Ignacio Calderon crisis, not neighborhood competitions in Camilla Forte the hopes of change.

Jacqueline Luttrell Candidates such as Sen. Kamala Marley Molkentin Harris (D-Calif.)—who proposed a ban

Steven Nunez Alex White on all plastics, including plastic straws—

PODCAST PRODUCER Yasmeen Sheikah should get more praise for their ideas.

It’s beyond frustrating to see ADVERTISING/ candidates applauded for moderate MARKETING approaches when well-executed big ideas

MEDIA SALES REPS Breanne Jacobs have been successful across the globe.

Anthony Karlsson When there was a hole in the Ozone Kathryn Williams Tara Woods Layer, the solution was not to get individuals to stop using aerosols. Instead, the solution was limiting chlorofluorocarSENIOR STAFF bons—a chemical that was used in aero GENERAL MANAGER Travis Truitt sol cans that depleted the Ozone Layer.

FACULTY ADVISER Curtis Lawrence If we stay on track, the Ozone could be completely healed by 2060.

Every day, the Earth tries to fix itself, but humans continually get in the way.

Humans should always strive for a smaller carbon footprint, but corporations need to do their part. By properly addressing these issues at the federal level, we can fend off the doomsday predictions and give a future to my generation, and those who follow. @c cchronicle

bmesa@columbiachronicle.com

@c cchronicle

Th

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‘Rushed’ affiliation vote worries some CFAC members » ALEXANDRA YETTER & BLAISE MESA CO-EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

increase in dues for him. He recognizes the change may be more equitable, but without more information from CFAC leadership on what the money would be funding, he is “not comfortable raising dues” without knowing how the additional funds are used.

“It might be earthshaking, the constitutional changes and the bylaws changes,” Betke said. “It might be changing the way we vote, it might be changing the way leadership nominates and appoints a steering committee. We have no idea. And much of what they’re asking of us might be good, I have no idea. Much of it might be terrible.”

Other members welcomed the changes that come with affiliation, with Van Veen calling the constitutional changes a “no-brainer.” She said there was no point in delaying the vote as dues often fluctuate and the recent changes would make it more equitable.

Betke, and a number of other union members, led a petition effort to delay the affiliation vote until after the fall CFAC leadership elections so more information could be discussed. The petition, which was delivered to Vallera after the vote, had more than 60 signatures, Betke said.

“We’re hoping IFT has the good sense to help us, to help the members that want to slow things down,” Betke said.

Vallera confirmed she did receive the petition and is reviewing it, but said some

of the people who signed it were not union members and possibly at least one was an administrator. She said some eligible members who signed the petition still voted despite being concerned.

Vallera said the 57% voter turnout with 76% voting in favor was proof that the majority of membership backed the affiliation and changes.

But some members still questioned transparency issues surrounding the voting process. One part-time faculty member emailed The Chronicle following the Aug. 28 article to question the legitimacy of the vote, claiming 76% of 57% did not constitute a majority of members and violated the union’s bylaws.

The faculty member declined an interview with The Chronicle.

“If the union doesn’t recognize over 60 people’s concerns about this, then that’s a serious concern for unity and solidarity,” Kemble said.

Vallera stressed concerns come from a minority faction within the union.

“Since I took office it has become a very strong member-run union really with lots of ways for members to participate. The numbers are reflective of a very strong union,” she said. “After the first election I was in, there was a huge increase in voter participation.” chronicle@colum.edu » FILE PHOTO

SOME MEMBERS OF the Columbia Faculty Union were dismayed by how a summertime affiliation vote was handled by union leadership, citing a lack of information before the “rushed” vote and concerns of bundling multiple changes—including a dues increase—on the ballot.

The vote, which took place from Aug. 22–28, included aproval of affiliation with the Illinois Federation of Teachers, as well as approval for a dues increase and constitutional changes, as reported Aug. 28 by The Chronicle.

CFAC President Diana Vallera, who is also an adjunct professor in the Photography Department, said in a Friday interview with The Chronicle that dues will go from a flat dollar amount to a percentage-based rate of 2.5% of an adjunct faculty member’s salary.

“I am proud of our members who participated and did vote in favor of a structure [change],” Vallera said. “Even though some will be paying more, they understand they will be paying their fair share. That’s what a union is all about.”

According to a petition circulated by union members unhappy with the voting process, for a professor instructing one course per semester and earning roughly $5,600, dues would increase from $130 before the vote to $140 under the new arrangement, an increase of 8%. On the other hand, for a faculty member instructing six courses in a year and earning roughly $33,600, dues would increase from $260 before the vote to $840 under the change, or by approximately 223%.

In a follow-up call to The Chronicle Friday, Susan Van Veen, an adjunct professor in the Business and Entrepreneurship Department and CFAC Steering Committee member, disputed the characterizations of the increase by some union members, emphasizing the 2.5% of salary for every member. However, she said the numbers are not yet final.

Van Veen said in an Aug. 29 interview that working with IFT “made sense” for protection of resources, benefits and the educational system.

“This is a great move for our union and our members,” Van Veen said. “It’s going to allow us to really focus on our students and strengthen the focus on the quality of education at Columbia.”

Some union members thought the issues on the ballot should have been separated into individual votes because the popularity

surrounding affiliation may have overshadowed the other changes.

“It was inappropriate to tie in the vote for affiliation with changes to the bylaws,” said Katrina Kemble, adjunct professor in the English and Creative Writing Department.

“Given the choice, I voted no for everything.”

Vallera said in an Aug. 28 interview that in order for CFAC to affiliate with IFT, the union needed to make some structural changes to be in compliance with federal labor law, which is why issues were voted on together.

Vallera said attorneys for CFAC, IFT and the American Federation of Teachers reviewed the union’s inherited bylaws and updated them to be in compliance.

One of the constitutional changes included an anti-discrimination policy to be included in CFAC’s bylaws, which is something IFT requires of every local union, Vallera said. However, she said CFAC’s bylaws are going to be reviewed by a committee, which will be established in the fall, to discuss changes.

“We certainly don’t take [concerns] lightly,” Vallera said. “Whenever we make these kinds of decisions, we’re always going to get some voices that criticize us. We absolutely did the right thing going into this semester with this kind of strength and power.”

Robert Perkovich, a senior lecturer in the graduate School of Business at DePaul University and legal services consultant, said “unions have a fair degree of discretion” when internally governing themselves, which includes the bundling of votes.

While Perkovich said there are no set rules for governing votes, there are some cases where there would be regulation, such as in “due process issues.”

Van Veen said CFAC made efforts to provide members with information on the vote.

“We explained it and we explained it and we explained it,” Van Veen said. “We had meetings, we had mailings, we had our reps calling. We had everyone talking to people.”

Kathleen Arnold, senior professional lecturer at DePaul and labor union expert, said unions should wait until they have a “critical mass” of voters before holding votes.

Kemble said it was “disingenuous” to hold the vote during the summer when union members may not have been in the city.

Perkovich could see how union members would say a summer election might be a due process violation, but did not say whether challenging the vote would be successful.

For Jason Betke, an adjunct professor in the Cinema and Television Arts Department, the changes would result in a “significant”

CFAC President Diana Vallera said the 76% of voters in favor of affiliating with the Illinois Federation of Teachers gave her confidence in the summer vote.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 3

campus

Textbook piracy: when free isn’t free » LAUREN LEAZENBY STAFF REPORTER

an academic adviser in the College Advising Center.

One junior cinema art and science major downloaded a textbook for a Liberal Arts and Sciences course. The textbook, which he said would have typically cost $200 if purchased legally, was not used enough in the class to justify the cost.

The Chronicle is not naming the student to protect his identity.

“It was a pricey book and I was very pleased when I found out how [little] we would be using it in class that I decided to download it instead,” he said. “It’s disheartening when you spend that money and you don’t really end up using it.”

Oppenheim said participating in piracy can actually contribute to keeping textbook prices high.

In order for publishers to decrease their prices, it has to be affordable for them to do so. If a smaller number of people are willing to pay

for their textbooks while a larger percentage are illegally acquiring theirs, publishers have to offset costs and prices go up, he said.

Kristy Bowen, the access services assistant and course reserve coordinator at the Columbia library, 624 S. Michigan Ave., said many of these expensive textbooks are available for free through the library. She said the library keeps copies of most textbooks over $40.

lleazenby@columbiachronicle.com » JENNIFER CHAVEZ/CHRONICLE

IT IS NO secret: The cheapest way to get a textbook is not to rent it or buy used, but to download a copy from the internet.

But according to Matthew Oppenheim, lead counsel for the Educational Publishers Enforcement Group, acquiring textbooks from the internet is legally under the same category as downloading copyrighted movies or music for free—piracy.

“Understand that, first and foremost, it’s unequivocally illegal to download a textbook from the internet,” Oppenheim said.

The EPEG, which includes common textbook publishers such as Pearson and Cengage, works collectively to address intellectual property issues and piracy.

Oppenheim said piracy is a challenge the publishing industry has been facing for many years—

both in the form of bootleg physical textbooks printed overseas and distributed in the U.S., and digital copies disseminated online.

Oppenheim said while students often cite cost as the reason they download digital copies, textbooks are not as expensive as students think.

“It’s easy to complain that it’s expensive, but when you look at the relative cost compared to the other parts of the education, it’s actually fairly cheap,” he said.

But not all textbooks are affordable for some students. As reported by The Chronicle in April 2018, 36% of college students said they are food and/or housing insecure with 42% of community college students struggling to find a meal.

“The sad irony is that, ultimately, a $90 textbook could lead a student who does not obtain [it] to neglect their homework for a $2,500 course,” said Paula Brien,

Bowen said while she understands the financial concern when it comes to textbooks, she still would not advise students to download them, both from a legal and an ethical perspective.

“It’s a question of knowing if you were the manufacturer of the textbook, or if you were the author of the textbook, and you knew that someone was going to steal it and give you no credit for what you were doing. ... Do to others what they would do to you.”

The Music Center at Columbia College Chicago 1014 S. Michigan Avenue

M u s i c

four

D e p a r t m e n t

Monday September 9 Guitar Student Convocation

E v e n t s

12:00 pm

Wednesday September 11 Wednesday Noon Guitar Concert Series 12:00 pm at the Conaway Center

773.883.2000

4 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

SGA plans to engage more students with new senator chairs and events » MATEUSZ JANIK STAFF REPORTER WITH AN EYE toward broadening its focus, increasing networking opportunities and providing

better outreach to students confronting mental health issues, the Student Government Association kicked off its 2019–2020 academic year. SGA also wants to strengthen the » CAMILLA FORTE/CHRONICLE

(From left) SGA executive board members Ashley Moore, Kierah King, Jori Roberts and Anna Baumeister discuss plans for the upcoming week.

relationship between students and administration, and establish a foundation for students to advocate for themselves.

“I want to [make] as many students aware and [know] what’s going on on campus,” said Kierah King, senior dance major and SGA president.

SGA plans to focus more on Columbia’s individual academic schools by transitioning away from department-based student senators.

Hoping to engage more students with a broader focus, this will include the School of Fine and Performing Arts, the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the School of Media Arts.

This move comes after a low turnout for town hall meetings, as attendance was not required for department chairs, King said.

To combat low attendance,

campus SGA will continue to use social media and start an email newsletter for students where they can get updates on town hall meetings and events that senators are organizing.

“It’s all about seeing what the students want [and] what the students need. Columbia is a very art-based school and there’s nothing but student work,” said Jori Roberts, junior radio major and SGA executive vice president.

SGA also plans on including more events throughout the year focused on networking and student engagement.

“I’m going to do an event geared toward freshmen to engage them and understand our campus because it is a different generation,” King explained.

“We have this new, beautiful Student Center and there’s a lot changing, and I want to go with the change rather than go against it.”

SGA keeps in close contact with administrators through monthly meetings with President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim and

Vice President for Student Affairs Sharon Wilson-Taylor. Students also have the opportunity to interact at senate meetings.

Anna Baumeister, a sophomore comedy writing and performance major and SGA vice president of finance, plans to add more events around campus that offer students the chance to perform.

“We even invite Dr. Kim to come to our meetings,” King said.

“We have administration come in throughout the semester as guest speakers to connect with the students and give a more personal connection.”

SGA will also introduce a mental health senator, collaborating with departments and organizations around campus.

“It’s always been something that people have dealt with,” King said. “I really would love to create a space for students to feel that they can come and express that and not always have to go to just counseling.” mjanik@columbiachronicle.com

Columbia focuses on affordability to fix low graduation rates SOME FORMER COLUMBIA students have cited financial factors as one of the main reasons for dropping out or transferring, which contributes to the college’s low graduation rates.

The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked Columbia at 733 out of 969 private nonprofit colleges for its 6-year graduation rate in 2017, when Columbia’s graduation rate was 44%. Columbia’s graduation rate has increased to 48% for full-time first year students who started at the school in 2012.

Vice President of Enrollment Management Michael Joseph said the number is expected to be closer to 50% in 2019, due in part to administrators taking a closer look at students’ long-term financial barriers.

“We have a little ways to go, but if we can get our retention rate up ... the graduation rate will follow suit,” Joseph said.

Joseph and Senior Vice President

and Provost Marcella David said Columbia will concentrate on improving issues of affordability through financial aid opportunities for low-income students and fundraising efforts by alumni and friends of the college.

“The majority of students who historically have left here are leaving primarily because of affordability,” Joseph said. “So, we are trying to address that as much as we possibly can.”

Tuition for the 2019–2020 academic year costs $26,610 annually, with the median family income of incoming freshman in the Fall 2018 semester at $87,533.

The average amount of financial aid awarded was roughly $18,736, according to Institutional Effectiveness.

Jacqui Rumely, who studied music business at Columbia for one year before transferring to a public university in Michigan, said she thought Columbia was not offering her any career experience or internship opportunities she could not get on her own.

“[Columbia is] insanely expensive,” Rumely said. “I felt like I wasn’t getting what I should have been for the money my dad was paying.”

Ellie Eckerson Peters, assistant director of policy research at the Institute for Higher Education Policy, said low-income and minority students at colleges across the country are graduating at disproportionately lower rates compared to higher income, white students.

“What is really important is for institution leaders and policy makers at all levels to really be thinking about how the policies and practices on their campus can impact student enrollment,” Eckerson Peters said.

Some ways institutional leaders can increase college completion rates are by providing need-based financial aid and helping students to understand requirements for grants, she said.

Katrina Coakley, associate provost for student success at Roosevelt University, said the school

» WESLEY ENRIQUEZ/CHRONICLE

» MARI DEVEREAUX STAFF REPORTER

is aiming to solve similar issues to increase its year-to-year retention and graduation rates.

At Roosevelt, the 2012 cohort graduation rate was 39% for fulltime freshman.

“We’re doing a lot to minimize college bureaucracy with students,” Coakley said. “[We are going] through the process to register ... and making sure they aren’t being pushed around from office to office.”

In the past few years, Coakley said Roosevelt has begun to implement programs such as a 24/7 online tutoring portal and an early alert

campaign, which provides support for students with low grades.

In addition to addressing affordability, outlining students’ pathways to graduation and developing curriculum, Columbia’s faculty and staff will also work on closing graduation rate gaps between white and minority students, David said.

“That is a particular focus for me,” David said.

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for additional reporting. mdevereaux@columbiachronicle.com

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 5

Tyler, The Creator brings ‘Igor’ to life on tour. » ColumbiaChronicle.com

‘Queering’ Chicago beyond Boystown one party at a time

» COURTESY /ALLY ALMORE

arts culture

Parties like “Energy,” hosted by smallWORLD Collective, offer safe spaces for black and brown queer women and transgender and nonbinary people to dance and mingle. » MIRANDA MANIER MANAGING EDITOR FOR LGBTQ+ RESIDENTS of Chicago hunting for a place to dance, flirt and order one too many vodka-cranberries, there is one neighborhood that always comes to mind.

Boystown, nestled between Lakeview East and Wrigleyville, is Chicago’s designated “gayborhood.” However, Boystown’s venues often cater specifically to cisgender, white gay men and leave little room for other members of the LGBTQ+ community, according to smallWORLD Collective Founder Jae Rice.

SmallWORLD Collective is an artist collective that throws parties and other events that focus on queer women of color.

SmallWORLD hosts “Energy,” a weekly event every Sunday night in the South Loop at Tantrum, 1023 S. State St., which Rice referred to as “queer church” and “queer black Cheers.”

Parties such as “Energy” that focus on women, femmes, nonbinary and transgender people have been popping up in Chicago for years, but the city still does not have a dedicated location or venue for anyone in the LGBTQ+ community, besides gay men.

“My wife and I ... got back to Chicago maybe three and a half years ago ... and it was hard for us to find anywhere to go,” Rice said. “There were some spaces that were queer adjacent ... that queers went [to] because there were no other options.

And then there was Boystown. Like, ‘Oh, yeah, we go to Boystown.’ We go to Boystown and it’s super white, it’s super

male heavy. We’re not welcome there.”

In June, a Boystown club, Progress Bar, 3359 N. Halsted St., was criticized when an email to employees, which banned DJs from playing rap music, leaked to the public. People quickly jumped to social media to accuse the club of trying to keep out black patrons, until owner Justin Romme apologized and reversed the decision.

Molasses, a pop-up party for minority transgender and gender nonconforming people—which used to take place at Berlin, 954 W. Belmont Ave.—is currently transitioning into obtaining their own venue.

According to co-organizer Zola Chatman, the poor manner in which people who are not cisgender, gay white men have been historically treated at Boystown venues, such as Progress Bar, makes it hard to offer a safe space in the neighborhood, so Molasses will create its own space in Pilsen.

“It is so hard to be brown and trans within [the Boystown] community at all,” Chatman said. “And the people who are brown and trans are only given chances to excel as performers—and performers with very little power, influence or voice.

These performers are put up on a pedestal to represent inclusion and diversity ... but behind the scenes it is all cis, gay white men that are running the scene.”

Another local party is Flannel Friday, a monthly event that “celebrates queer women and femme identities,” according to the Facebook event page. Flannel Fridays used to take place at Mary’s Attic, 5400 N. Clark St., but with an increase in crowd size, the event is being moved

6 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

to a larger venue at Le Nocturne, 4810 N. Broadway, where the first party took place Friday, Sept. 6.

“All of the parties that had been available prior were either annual parties or … [in] areas like Boystown, where the focus has really been cis, white men,” said Gretchen Kirchmer, co-owner and founder of LezBe Events, the group that runs Flannel Friday. “Finding space where we felt like we were walking into a crowd of people that were identifying the same way that we were was harder to find.”

To Kirchmer, the focus of LezBe Events is to create inclusive spaces where queer folks can dance and meet people, whether that be romantically or platonically.

She hopes, through events like Flannel Fridays, queer people can grow their network and become more involved in the community.

According to Co-Owner of LezBe Events Elena Sotirin, the pop-up structure allows them to do that.

The flexibility of moving from neighborhood to neighborhood lets the culture expand beyond Boystown, she said, and allows them to “queer” otherwise traditionally straight venues.

As some of these parties try to transition to a standing location, they face unexpected obstacles.

“It’s politics,” Rice said. “As we’re finding out, it’s hard to maneuver as queer women of color. It is hard to maneuver as queer women in general. It’s hard to get a liquor license; it’s hard to get these loans; it’s hard to find these spaces; it’s hard for me to even get these people to call me back for

a space. Even saying [I] have the money doesn’t matter, they won’t call back. And then there’s a big stigma [of] ‘I don’t want a dyke bar in my neighborhood; I don’t want this.’”

According to Kirchmer and Sotirin, this stigma is common. There is a pervasive idea that queer women do not go out as often as queer men, particularly once they are in a relationship.

Groups like LezBe are working to change that narrative.

“We’ve seen challenges in working with venues, specifically on targeting that audience specifically for those reasons,” Sotirin said. “There’s a culture of that cliché notion of the lesbian community dropping out of the scene when they partner up, and I think that we are working to change that perspective with the venues that we’re working with and prove that even partners come out, even our friends who are partnered up come out, and even our [polyamorous] friends come out, and we are bringing people together to understand each other better.”

According to Rice, events such as smallWORLD’s “Energy” are “necessary.”

“We’re going through something different than our straight counterparts and our white counterparts … and so our finances aren’t always flexible for extracurriculars such as going out to a bar or something like that,” Rice said. “But that doesn’t mean that we don’t need to have the option. That doesn’t mean that doesn’t need to be there.” mmanier@columbiachronicle.com

arts & culture

All of the instrumental music for the show is done on-stage, rather than in the pit, allowing the actors FROM PLAYING IN his family’s band to double as musicians. Malley’s to opening a recording and produc- main instrument is an oud, “the tion studio in Bucktown, musician great-grandfather of the guitar,” and actor Ronnie Malley is now he said. touring in the Broadway musical, “The Band’s Visit” will be per“The Band’s Visit.” formed in Chicago at the Cadillac “The Band’s Visit” follows an Palace Theatre, 151 W. Randolph Egyptian band stranded in a St., Sept. 3-15. small, isolated town in the middle Malley spoke with The of a desert. The band, Alexandria Chronicle about his experience Ceremonial Police Orchestra, is with the show, Chicago influthen taken in by Israeli towns- ences and his favorite part of people who help show the hesitant the production. band the similarities between the two cultures. In 2018, the musical THE CHRONICLE: How would won 10 Tony awards, including the you describe your character? award for Best Musical.

MALLEY: He is one of the more One of the band members, anxious people in the group, Camal—portrayed by Malley in the wanting to resolve this conflict of musical’s first national tour—is being lost in a town, an unknown skeptical about being stranded and place—particularly one that may is hyper-focused on going home. have historical or political ties to » KATHERINE SAVAGE NEWS EDITOR

the country where he comes from, between Israel and Egypt. I can’t quite say fully that his anxiety is formed entirely by political history between the two nations, but for me personally, someone who is of Middle Eastern origin, I understand that it does play a role.

Ronnie Malley (left) stars as Camal in “The Band’s Visit,” in Chicago Sept. 3–15.

What has been your favorite one of those very rare opportunipart of the production? ties people will have to see how I love that I’m on the stage as human we are in this region. What an actor [and] as a musician. I appreciated about this story is Musicians are [usually] com- that it does portray in a way you pletely apart from the actors, and can almost even replace the labels here we are literally sharing the of Egyptian and Israeli with any stage together. other cultures.

Why is this story important?

We live in a world today where we have access to information and social media, especially when it comes to this region. Anywhere you turn to in the news, almost everything is politicized. This is

How has Chicago influenced your career?

It formed it. I grew up playing music in a family band, and we played a lot of Middle Eastern music. My family is from Palestine, and my dad, from a young age,

Columbia professor celebrates Aguijón Theater’s 30th anniversary with illustrated historical book

influenced us with music. Growing up in Chicago, we had access to all of these communities, even on microlevels, too. Chicago is paramount to my upbringing with its diversity. This is one of the first Broadway musicals to incorporate Middle Eastern instruments on stage—not to mention, Middle Eastern characters who are not stereotypes but rather people who are dignified artists from backgrounds and cultures that have influenced the entire world. ksavage@columbiachronicle.com

encompass the richness of the Spanish language while also making the book accessible to non-Spanish speaking readers.

The book has eight chapters and includes 14 testimonials from different researchers and theater scholars from various countries.

Leturia said the book and the theater embody the vast Latino cultures in Chicago.

The Aguijón produces plays that are both Latino and non-Latino stories, said Co-Artistic Director and Managing Director Marcela Muñoz. The plays are done entirely in Spanish, but English captions are displayed on stage.

“Theater is a way to bring people together. Language could sometimes be a barrier, not just for non-Latinos but even Latinos who maybe Spanish is not their first language,” Muñoz said. “So, we wanted to make sure that was not an obstacle [and] that you could still come in and see the play.”

longest-running Latino theater Leturia first connected with production in 2009 and, since then, company in Chicago. The theater the theater in 2007 when he was has been in five additional plays. first opened in a house at 4318 writing a review on one of the proIn April, Leturia was recruited WHEN THE AGUIJÓN Theater N. Central Park Ave., and later ductions for Hoy Chicago. After by the Aguijón to write a book docopened in 1989, it was going moved to Truman College for 10 writing more articles on the the- umenting the theater’s 30 years. against the grain by showing a cul- years. Finally, in 1999, the theater ater, Leturia mentioned he had He recently published the book, ture that many people in Chicago moved to its current home at 2707 acted in Peru and the Aguijón took “Aguijón 30 Años | Aguijón 30 did not know about.

N. Laramie Ave. interest. Leturia acted in his first Years,” documenting the theater’s “Anything Latino was strange, extensive history through photopeople didn’t know what cilangraphs and illustrations from all tro was and what an avocado performances and written paswas,” said Associate Professor in sages in both Spanish and English. the Communication Department “I thought, okay, this is a great Elio Leturia. opportunity to do something,” But in the ‘80s, Latino culture Leturia said. was gradually increasing its He was excited the book would presence in many ways. On the be written in both Spanish and political scene, Luis Gutiérrez and English because it would be able Jesús “Chuy” García were elected to reach a larger audience. as alderpeople in a 1986 special The book was completed in five election as part of Mayor Harold months with Leturia not only Washington’s coalition, helping to writing and translating the book, bring an end to Council Wars and but also designing the layout and Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for increase political representation even taking some photographs of additional reporting. for Latino communities. the productions. Leturia said it When Aguijón opened its doors Elio Leturia, associate professor in the Communication Department, wrote a book was often difficult writing in two in 1989, it began its history as the detailing the history of the longest-running Latino theater company in Chicago. languages because he wanted to ksavage@columbiachronicle.com » KATHERINE SAVAGE NEWS EDITOR

» COURTESY “THE BAND’S VISIT” NATIONAL TOUR

Q&A: Ronnie Malley gets lost and found in musical ‘The Band’s Visit’

» IGNACIO CALDERON/CHRONICLE

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 7

feature

Students’ first date with ‘brand spankin’ new’ Student Center » PAIGE BARNES STAFF REPORTER THE WAIT IS over for Columbia’s new Student Center as it unofficially welcomed students prior to the official grand opening on Wednesday, Sept. 18.

Four years in the making, from the initial approval from the board of trustees on Oct. 28, 2015, to welcoming students into the building on Sept. 3, 2019, students described the 114,000 square-foot space as “unique,” “spectacular” and “having possibilities.”

The Student Center, 754 S. Wabash Ave., is a prime location for students with limited time between classes, specifically commuter students, or those coming from buildings such as 1104 S. Wabash Ave. It is also a halfway point for all Columbia students to meet each other and collaborate, said sophomore television major Mitch Stout.

Junior poetry major Lily Someson has been waiting for the Student Center since her freshman year. She said there is no longer a lack of space to network and feels like it is a space that Columbia has always needed.

“If you only have lecture classes, it gets really difficult to connect with people,” said Someson. “It’s nice to meet people who aren’t just in your major, but everyone.”

Though some were hesitant to believe all the hype, Rocco Sabatino, a freshman live and installed sound major who commutes to Columbia, said he almost did not buy it.

“Now, I don’t want to go home after school,” Sabatino said. “I’d be surprised if I’m home before 9 p.m.—and my classes are done at 3 p.m.”

The Center also has a new coffee shop and cafeteria located on the first floor. The cafeteria caters to an assortment of dietary needs and is relatively

8 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

inexpensive, said Stout, who struggles to find places that accommodate his vegetarian needs.

However, the cafeteria is not connected to the meal plan that is offered through the University Center. When senior cinema art and science major Jason Pyne tried to use his Columbia ID card to purchase food, they told him the Center was cash only. Pyne said he had already purchased a meal plan under the assumption that the meal plan would cover the Center’s cafeteria.

Services like the Makerspace, the Career Center and the Fitness Center have relocated to the Student Center. The departments will still offer the same services but can cater to more students because of the upgrade in space.

It is a nice adjustment for Someson, who also works as a resume and cover letter reviewer at the Career Center now located on the third floor. The old location, 618 S. Wabash Ave., was tucked away, and she thought the Student Center’s accessibility contributed to the larger turnout at this year’s ice cream social.

Sophomore English major Abby Nelson, who is also a resume and cover letter reviewer, was concerned about the noise control between appointments and the change to separated desks for Career Center employees. Nelson said it is a period of adjustment as well, since now her full-time coworkers are separated from her and she is used to mingling with them more.

“We had all this stuff [last semester], but the quality wasn’t half as good, and it was scattered throughout multiple city blocks of campus, but now, everything we could ever need is under one roof,” Sabatino said. “It’s brand spankin’ new.

We’re lucky.” pbarnes@columbiachronicle.com

feature

» ALEX WHITE/CHRONICLE

» STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE

Students utilize the study and recreational rooms at the Student Center.

» STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE

» CAMILLA FORTE/CHRONICLE The Student Center Grand Opening will be Sept. 18 at 4 p.m.

» ALEX WHITE/CHRONICLE

» ALEX WHITE/CHRONICLE

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 9

opinions

Read a Letter to the Editor from a CFAC member. » ColumbiaChronicle.com

I

t seems inhumane to know a woman is going into labor and not help her, right? Well, a jail in Colorado allowed Diana Sanchez to give birth alone and medically unattended on July 31, 2018.

Sanchez—who was later sentenced to two years of probation on identity fraud charges—is now suing the jail. According to Vice News, the lawsuit said Sanchez was already eight months pregnant at the time of her arrest and “had a medical history that suggested she might have a high-risk pregnancy and early delivery.”

Sanchez went on to give birth alone in her jail cell, with nothing more than the bed she slept on and a white absorbent pad that had been slid under her door 15 minutes into her delivery. Both jail officials and medical staff on site were aware of Sanchez’s dilemma, and yet some stood outside her door taking no action, as seen on video released after. Others “avoided” the scenario altogether, according to the lawsuit.

Sanchez expressed to both sheriff’s deputies and nurses multiple times that she

was having contractions and that her child’s birth was imminent, yet an ambulance was never called. Instead, a non-emergency van was ordered to take her to the hospital.

The lawsuit alleges the van brought the mother and her newborn to the hospital 30 minutes after the birth took place.

What we need to remind ourselves is that these humans will not be prisoners forever. Rap sheets, convictions and living quarters do not make a person’s life void.

Think back to Hurricane Florence, when 2,500 inmates were left behind, as reported by The Chronicle Sept. 24, 2018.

Time spent in prison does not mean a person’s life is not worth preserving.

The word “rehabilitation” masks the prison system in images of support and a chance at growth. If rehabilitation truly existed behind that, something like healthcare, or the right to human decency, would not be so estranged from the daily actions of both employees and inmates.

The identities of inmates are more than a predictor of the treatment inside of prisons.

Race and gender are often indications of disproportionate abuse in prisons.

A transgender inmate may experience the intensity of neglect or abuse to a high degree, such as Strawberry Hampton, a transgender woman who fought to be housed in a woman’s facility and won the lawsuit, as reported March 16 by The Chronicle.

Hampton is now addressing the court again, this time in the wake of abuse and assault from Illinois Corrections Officers, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

The prison system needs reform.

Incarceration rates for people of color, living conditions and the normalization of abuse is a narrative people have accepted because it has existed from the early stages of the prison system.

The cogs of the prison machine—the officials who operate every step of the

Straightness does not need celebration

A

whom were anti-straight pride protestors, and four intervening police officers suffered from non-life threatening injuries.

In a Sept. 3 hearing, three of the 18 were told to “stay out of Boston” by the presiding judge. The three protestors face assault and battery charges on police officers.

It is hard to compare apples and

»MADDY ASMA/CHRONICLE

Straight Pride Parade was hosted in Boston on Aug. 31. In attendance, however, were more than just proponents of straight pride.

The parade was organized by a group called Super Happy Fun America, who advocate for straight rights and are the self-proclaimed “oppressed majority.”

Trump supporters took the opportunity to join the cause, chanting sentiments such as, “Build the wall and crime will fall.” Their presence at the parade inevitably merged the Straight Pride Parade into a political statement.

Nearly 1,000 counter-protesters also arrived in order to combat the straight pride rhetoric and quickly outnumbered the initial participants, who only tallied a few hundred. When opposing beliefs clashed, 36 people were arrested, 18 of

oranges; the difference between Pride parades and the Straight Pride Parade is that one advocates for the standard rights of a group and the other asks that those rights remain exclusive.

Heterosexuality has never been brought into question or demonized.

Therefore, the threat that Straight Pride Parade goers feel is a veil of uncertainty as to whether they will maintain their significance in a changing world.

These individuals fear that they are losing their foothold as the majority voice in every space. But this is not something to be pitied.

The problem with the parade is that when people of majority power assume the same spaces

»WESLEY ENRIQUEZ/CHRONICLE

Addressing the prison system means addressing injustices

EDITORIAL

way—are active and repetitive in their behaviors. Collectively, we must be just as active. It should not be on an inmate alone to fight for their human rights. Call for reform; support inmates fighting for their rights; speak to your representatives. If we allow another Diana Sanchez or Strawberry Hampton to get lost in the machinery, we, too, are the cogs. chronicle@colum.edu

EDITORIAL that minorities use to uplift themselves, it dilutes the effect that the parades generally hold. It only becomes another chance for them to express their superiority.

Inclusivity needs to be at the intersection of every issue, especially when the avenues that are used to garner support are ones paved by people of color and LGBTQ+ people. To assume that space and use it as a mode to suppress those same people even further is shameful.

To fight rhetoric that is deeply rooted in prejudice, education has to take place. The practice of education is not easy; it takes form by appealing to people’s emotions as well as having logic on your side. It might not always be a 20-minute discussion, maybe it is just a sentence that says you will not support that ideology. Inclusivity is only achievable when we let all voices be heard. chronicle@colum.edu

Editorial Board Members Kathryn Williams Media Sales Rep Alex White Photojournalist Katherine Savage News Editor Summer Hoagland-Abernathy Copy Editor Blaise Mesa Co-Editor-in-Chief Knox Keranen Staff Reporter

Camilla Forte Photojournalist Paige Barnes Staff Reporter Kaci Watt Copy Editor Kendall Polidori News Editor Margaret Smith Copy Chief

10 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

Did you catch a mistake, think we could have covered a story better or have strong beliefs about an issue that faces all of us here at Columbia?

Why not write a letter to the editor? At the bottom of Page 2, you’ll find a set of guidelines on how to do this. Let us hear from you. —The Chronicle Editorial Board

opinions

Funimation hypocritical in response to offensive leaks » ISAIAH COLBERT STAFF REPORTER

A

fter audio files of several Dragon Ball Z voice actors making homophobic jokes and inappropriate remarks about rape, pedophilia and pornography leaked, the anime dubbing company failed to adequately address it.

By not speaking on the issue and homophobic and perverted scandals that being as transparent as they were with have occurred from 2017 to now. the Mignogna allegations, it gives the What we can learn from this is that impression that one wrong outweighs whatever we say or do in our private lives the other. can, and in some cases inevitably will, These clips may not have been cre- come back to us no matter our intentions. ated maliciously, they could have also Accountability is always the first step. been from years ago, but this lack of icolbert@columbiachronicle.com response reveals that inappropriate language said in-house isn’t as severe an issue to address as inappropriate actions outside of Funimation’s walls.

Because there has been no further statement from Funimation, people can only speculate whether internal investigations will be conducted.

Perhaps t he social media “ca ncellation” of the voice actors may take place or, worse yet, this scenario will just be a f lash in the pan of

>> MADDY ASMA/ CHRONICLE

COMMENTARY

In response to the audio file leaks, the hashtags #FuniLeaks and #FunimationExposed were trending on Twitter Aug. 30.

According to Imagine Games Network— or IGN, a video game and entertainment media site—the voice clips were originally released during a YouTube livestream by Nick Rekieta, a Minnesota lawyer and owner of Rekieta Law. Rekieta claimed he obtained the recordings “absolutely, 100 percent legally” and for a “journalistic capacity,” according to IGN. However, this isn’t the first time Funimation was in the news for inappropriate behavior from one of its voice actors. Vic Mignogna, a former Funimation voice actor, was fired following sexual misconduct allegations made by fans in February.

Funimation’s Twitter responses are hypocritical, as they have not responded to the voice actors in question the same way they did with Mignogna.

It is unclear whether the backlash from this audio leak will lead to Funimation cutting ties with the voice actors involved in the offensive recordings.

The company’s silence on the matter is doing more harm than good, though.

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opinions

12 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

metro

Chicagoans marched to raise awareness for Amazon fires. » ColumbiaChronicle.com/Multimedia

10 not so crazy climate crisis solutions from the 2020 presidential contenders » ALEXANDRA YETTER CO-EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

» SHANE TOLENTINO/CHRONICLE

AFTER MEMBERS OF the Democratic National Committee voted against holding a debate between 2020 presidential candidates dedicated to the climate crisis, 10 front-runners participated in a town hall on the topic.

The Wednesday event, hosted by CNN, featured: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.); former Secretary of Urban Housing and Development Julián Castro; businessman Andrew Yang; Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.); Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.); former Vice President Joe Biden; South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg; former Congressman Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas); Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.); and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).

The candidates were each given 40 minute segments to answer questions from audience members on the climate crisis, with questions ranging from carbon tax implementation to nuclear energy replacements for fossil fuels.

The town hall comes as numerous parts of the globe are on fire, including the Amazon rainforest, and as regions of the U.S. prepare for the devastating effects of Hurricane Dorian. At the same time, the United Nations warns that the world has until 2030—just 11 years—before the global temperature surpasses a tipping point, causing global warming to become irreversible.

Most of the candidates agree the first step in facing the climate crisis, upon taking office, would be to reverse environmental policy rollbacks implemented under the Trump Administration. Sanders’ response on whether to enact reversals: “Duh!”

These efforts would include reentering the Paris Climate Agreement, protecting endangered animal species and lowering the amount of greenhouse gases produced by corporations.

However, nearly every candidate has a different solution for how to lead a significant attack on the climate crisis by 2030. Almost all of the candidates have faced criticism for past records contrary to environmental sustainability, namely Buttigieg, who defended his campaign’s use of private planes; Biden for his plans to attend a fundraiser hosted by Andrew Goldman, who is linked to the fossil fuel industry, the Thursday after the climate crisis town hall, which he did end up attending despite climate protesters outside the event; and Castro for his record of supporting fracking when he was mayor of San Antonio.

Here are 10 solutions proposed by the candidates during the town hall: No. 1: Sanders on birth control Perhaps the most extreme proposal of the night came from Sanders, who said he would curb population growth as a method to reduce the amount of waste and greenhouse gases produced by individuals.

By providing women access to birth control and abortions, and thereby lowering the already high U.S. population growth, roughly 63 tons of carbon would be saved from contributing to global warming each year, as well as nearly 3.5 million tons of waste from diapers.

No. 2: Harris on plastic Harris called for an ultimate ban on plastic, with a specific emphasis on plastic straws, instead favoring paper straws.

Some estimates put the number of plastic straws in the ocean at 7.5 million, which

not only pollutes the environment but endangers ocean wildlife as well.

No. 3: Yang on money Despite many Democratic candidates calling for a tax on carbon emissions, Yang was one of the few to put a price tag on it.

Yang proposed carbon taxes for corporations starting at $40 per ton and eventually reaching up to $100 per ton.

Yang also said the billions in subsidies the government pays to fossil fuel industries should be redirected to clean energy production, sustainable farming and environmental research.

“The trap that Democrats are in is we are being told that moving toward a green economy is bad for jobs and bad for business, and that could not be further from the truth,” he said. “We cannot fall into this false dichotomy that what is good for the economy is bad for the planet.”

No. 4: O’Rourke on cap-and-trade Rather than endorsing carbon taxes, O’Rourke called for cap-and-trade to offset carbon emissions—a wildly unpopular proposal that died in the U.S. Senate in 2010 and caused Oregonian Republicans to flee the state in June to avoid voting on a state cap-and-trade bill.

Cap-and-trade caps the amount of carbon emissions corporations are allowed to produce, then slowly lowers the cap over a time period. Corporations unable to meet the limit can buy or trade with other low-carbon-producing corporations to offset any spillover.

No. 5: Buttigieg on faith Buttigieg recognized that a large portion of the population does not believe in the scientifically-proven climate crisis, including President Donald Trump, who tweeted numerous false claims concerning the climate during the town hall. In response, Buttigieg called for a faith-based conversation to take place in regards to the climate crisis.

“If you believe that God is watching as poison is being belched into the air of creation, and people are being harmed by it, countries are at risk in low-lying areas— what do you suppose God thinks of that?” he said. “I bet [God] thinks it is messed up.”

No. 6: Warren on fossil fuel industry For Warren, true impact on the climate crisis will come most directly from eliminations of the fossil fuel industries. She proposed a carbon-free building industry

by 2028, carbon-free cars by 2030 and carbon-free energy by 2035.

“Seventy percent of the pollution from the carbon that we’re throwing into the air comes from three industries, and we can set our targets and say by 2028, 2030 and 2035, no more,” she said.

No. 7: Klobuchar on competition Klobuchar, who took on one of the most moderate responses to the climate crisis during the town hall, proposed incentivizing individuals to reduce their energy use by sending electric bills with neighborhood rankings so neighbors can compete to conserve the most energy.

No. 8: Castro on eco-racism A major aspect of Castro’s climate plan addresses “environmental racism” as low-income communities face the extreme physical effects of the crisis, not only with a lack of resources for natural disasters, but with a disproportionate job loss from restrictions on fossil fuel industries.

“I connect the dots to places like Flint, Michigan, and I know that oftentimes it is people that are poor, communities of color, who take the brunt of storms that are getting more frequent and more powerful,” Castro said.

No. 9: Booker on meat industry As a longtime vegan, Booker said he will not restrict Americans from eating what they want, but said he would stop subsidizing factory farms that are one of the leading causes of pollution, global warming and deforestation.

No. 10: Biden on global collaboration Many voters are concerned Biden would take a back-burner approach to the climate crisis. One 19-year-old activist asked Biden whether younger generations can trust him after older generations have “repeatedly [chosen] money and power over our lives and our futures.”

Biden said he would not take an “empty chair” approach to the climate crisis, a dig at Trump, who recently skipped a Group of 7, or G7, summit of international governments, including France and Canada, to discuss providing assistance to countries affected by the Amazon fires.

“There would be no empty chair,” Biden said. “I would be pulling the G7 together. I would be down with the president of Brazil saying enough is enough.” ayetter@columbiachronicle.com

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 13

metro

» KATHERINE SAVAGE NEWS EDITOR CHEERING CHICAGO BEARS fans gath-

» MARLEY MOLKENTIN/CHRONICLE

ered in Grant Park Thursday to celebrate the National Football League’s 100th season kickoff.

Fans were able to run plays in the training camp, throw long distance passes into the net, play “Madden”—a video game by EA Sports, a division of Electronic Arts—with former Bears players and visit the traveling NFL Museum, which displayed all 53 Super Bowl rings and the Vince Lombardi trophy. The celebration featured performances

by Rapsody, Meghan Trainor and Meek Mill. Fans were urged to stay and watch the game at the NFL’s first-ever viewing party.

Even though the first game of the season was a loss for the Bears, with the Green Bay Packers taking a 10-3 win, fans were still optimistic about the upcoming season.

“The Bears—it’s like Green Bay in a lot of ways—win or lose, the fans are going to be there for them,” said Sandra Edwards, a Woodlawn resident. “For the most part, the city is always behind them.”

S ea son t icket holders Sandy and Jim Frederick said despite a tough game schedule, they think the Bears can still be triumphant this season.

“We always say, when we have dismal seasons, we go, ‘Man it’s tough to be a Bears fan,’ but then we always think, ‘At least we’re not [Detroit Lions] fans,’” Jim Frederick said.

At the celebration, Bears legends, including former running back Matt Forte and cornerback Charles Tillman, signed autographs for eager fans.

Summit resident Ozzie Leyva patiently waited in line for an autograph from Forte for his father’s 50th birthday.

Leyva said he is looking forward to seeing a dominant season from the Bears.

“I’m here for a great narrative.

[There have] been plenty of seasons where we’ve had one missing piece that makes the whole thing fall apart,” Leyva said. “While I’m a South Sider and a [White] Sox fan, I know how the Cubs feel with being good, just never good enough, but I’m hoping to witness that this year.”

Joliet resident Rico Cervantes said he is remaining loyal.

“It’s been a rough 33 years since the last Super Bowl, but the Chicago Bears stand for prestige in the NFL, and we’re here to continue that legacy,” Cervantes said.

Former Bears linebacker Lance Briggs spoke with fans at Grant Park about his thoughts on the upcoming season.

14 THE CHRONICLE SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

“This defense is just getting started. Give them time to complete what they are trying to do,” Briggs said. “Last year they put together a heck of a year, let them come in and do that again.”

South Bend, Indiana, resident Doug Yocun said he is interested in seeing all the new Bears players and how they’ll help shape the team.

“I’m looking forward to the young guys we got. We got a lot of new talent, a lot of fresh legs coming onto the field,” Yocun said. “I’m looking to see what all we could do as a team and what they’re going to be capable of.” ksavage@columbiachronicle.com

» MIKE RUNDLE/CHRONICLE

» IGNACIO CALDERON/CHRONICLE

Chicago ‘bears down’ for 100th season, despite losing to Packers

metro

Public colleges to provide mental health services similar to Columbia’s PUBLIC COLLEGES AND universities

in Illinois will be required to catch up to Columbia and other private colleges when it comes to providing mental health and suicide prevention services.

Under the Mental Health Action on Campus Act, signed into law

by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last month, Illinois colleges will now partner with local mental health services and provide peer support to students.

The new law, which takes effect in January 2020, requires public universities and colleges to make information on all mental health and suicide prevention resources at the school available to its students.

The act is designed to raise mental health awareness on campuses by designating a panel,

faculty and staff on procedures for helping students who may exhibit signs of mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression.

I l l i n oi s State Sen. Iris Martinez (D - Ch ica go), t he chief Senate sponsor of the bill, said it will affect the way mental health and suicide prevention is tackled on college campuses.

“We are becoming more aware of the struggles college students are facing,” Martinez said in a May press release when the legislation was passed by the Senate. “They need to be able to readily access help for mental health issues.” » MADDY ASMA/CHRONICLE

» DYANA DANIELS STAFF REPORTER

appointed by the institution’s board of trustees, to implement policies that advise students,

Columbia, a private college not covered under state law, already provides many of the services now required by public colleges and universities. Private institutions such as Roosevelt, Loyola and DePaul universities offer psychological and psychiatric t reat ment s a nd ment a l health screenings.

R o o s e ve lt Un iver s it y ’s Counseling Center offers a variety of services to raise mental health awareness through presentations, brochures and programs throughout the school year, according to the school’s website. The Counseling Center also employs student workers called Peer Advocates.

At Columbia’s Counseling Services, there are various hotlines, therapy referrals for other students, free individual therapy and un limited g roup therapy sessions for students dealing with issues ranging from adjusting to college life to an abusive relationship.

“We realize that students might encounter difficult situations that

could impede their academic, personal and social progress,” according to the Counseling Services’ website. “Our services are designed to help these students address their concerns and increase their self-awareness while empowering them to manage challenging areas in their lives.”

Some students at Columbia however, have pointed to flaws in Counseling Services such as difficulty in finding resources and long wait times for a therapy session, as reported by The Chronicle January 2019.

Sen ior g raph ic desi g n major Hannah Meyers went to Counseling Services her junior year and was put on a waiting list.

“It kind of is a little bit of a process getting into the Counseling Service,” Meyers said.

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for additional reporting. ddaniels@columbiachronicle.com

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SEPTEMBER 9, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 15

GRAND OPENING Please join us as we celebrate the opening of Columbia College Chicago’s first-ever Student Center, the new hub for creative practice and collaboration.

Wednesday, September 18 4–7 p.m.

754 S. Wabash Ave.

A grand opening ceremony will take place from 4–4:45 p.m., followed by student performances and self-guided tours until 7 p.m.

This event is open to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community.

SHAPE WHAT’S NEXT 41894_19_SCER_Chronicle Ad_083019.indd 1

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