The Chronicle, April 15, 2019

PAGE 4: Students fuse their love of art and science to enter the STEM field

WEB: Contract bargaining heats up between administration, CFAC

PAGE 7: Chicago History Museum exhibit highlights film-inspired fashion PAGE 11: COMMENTARY: Alarming insect decline should be cause for concern Volume 54, Issue 26

April 15, 2019

Proposed policy may give college license to use student work SEE PROPERTY, PAGE 3

» HALIE PARKINSON/CHRONICLE

ColumbiaChronicle.com

editor’s note

Student input needed for intellectual property policies » ARIANA PORTALATIN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

A

s the college works to rebrand itself in the face of declining enrollment, a proposed intellectual property policy could change the way it markets itself thanks to the use of students’ work.

As reported on the Front Page, a policy recommended by the Faculty Senate would allow the college to use student work to market itself, potentially without compensation or permission.

Currently, students own the rights to academic and independent work they produce in class. If implemented, this policy would grant Columbia a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use students’ work created with the use of college resources for its marketing campaigns.

According to Faculty Senate President Sean Andrews, getting permission and reimbursement would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

“We need to have something in place, not so the college can profit from student work, but just so we can feature it,” Andrews said.

However, any marketing done by Columbia can lead to some sort of profit, which means profiting from our work. If students are contributing to the success of the college, they deserve credit and compensation. They also deserve a say in whether their work is used.

As an arts and media college, most work done by students is not just to pass a class. It is constantly being added to our portfolios to support us in our job searches and creative opportunities. To see it be used without knowing beforehand would be upsetting. It takes more time and effort to make our work than it does for marketing officials to place it in a campaign. Out of respect to students and artists, permission is essential.

As reported Sept. 11, 2018, by The Chronicle, Columbia hired creative agency SOCIALDEVIANT to create a new campaign that would increase student enrollment. The new campaign came two years after the college’s rebranding campaign, done with the help of Ologie—a consulting company based in Columbus, Ohio—with the same purpose. The rebranding debuted to mixed reviews, with many disagreeing on whether some of the 2 THE CHRONICLE APRIL 15, 2019

MANAGEMENT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

MANAGING EDITORS

Ariana Portalatin Blaise Mesa Molly Walsh Zack Jackson Micha Thurston

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AD & BUSINESS MANAGER

REPORTERS

NEWS EDITOR REPORTERS

OPINIONS EDITOR

college’s changes were necessary and

would be effective in achieving higher

COPY CHIEF enrollment numbers.

COPY EDITORS When discussing the most recent marketing efforts, SOCIALDEVIANT said the campaign could be an opportunity for collaboration within Columbia’s

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER community. For a college that encour GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ages collaboration, this is the perfect opportunity. Collaboration shouldn’t be limited to students and faculty. The opportunity should also be there to SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR collaborate with a college that has such

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS a great presence in Chicago to ensure

publicity for Columbia and its students.

There’s no need for the college to spend thousands of dollars to outsource creatives when it has thousands to choose from here on campus. Our work used.

VIDEOGRAPHERS is definitely worthy of being At the same time, it’s also worthy of compensation.

Featuring student work is great because it shows the college is proud

MEDIA SALES REPS of the students it teaches and the work they produce, as it should be.

BRAND MANAGER Compensation is a standard of professionalism and business relations.

Although some students may be fine with credit without reimbursement, WEBMASTER compensation is definitely helpful to college students and even graduates, particularly those who may be struggling financially.

GENERAL MANAGER Most importantly, students deserve to

FACULTY ADVISER be a part of a conversation about a policy that affects them. Too often, administrative officials make decisions that lead to concern and upset by students.

This policy directly affects not only us, but our work. Therefore, it is only fair that the implementation of this policy is as collaborative as the idea itself. @ aportalatin@columbiachronicle.com

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Faculty Senate discusses Statement of Policy revisions » ColumbiaChronicle.com

Intellectual property policy proposal may give college license to use student work PROPERTY, FROM FRONT » ALEXANDRA YETTER STAFF REPORTER A NEW POLICY recommendation from the Faculty Senate would allow the college to use student work in marketing and promotional materials, potentially without students’ permission.

“It may be years before anything is actually implemented because it has been on the table for years,” said Sean Andrews, Faculty Senate president and associate professor in the Humanities, History and Social Sciences Department. “This is something we’ve done several times, and nothing has ever come of it.”

There is currently no policy agreement with the college, so students own the intellectual property rights to the academic and independent work they produce while taking classes at the college.

University of Chicago Law Professor Jonathan Masur said intellectual property is a legal right to an idea, expression or work of art, and students at most colleges who create work own the copyright.

“The Office of the Provost is reviewing the [intellectual property] policy proposal from the Faculty Senate and plans to work from it to develop a collegewide policy,” said Senior Director for the News Office Lambrini Lukidis in an April 10 email statement to The Chronicle. “That development will include consulting with our Office of the General Counsel and reviewing policies in place at other private colleges.”

Students at the School of the Art Institute own any academic or artistic work they make, except in the case of projects sponsored by the school, work backed

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by individual agreements with the school or when substantial use of school resources are used and documented, according to SAIC’s Intellectual Property Policy.

Under the recommended policy—which will need to be reviewed by legal counsel and the provost before being put into effect— the college would have a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use any work students create using the school’s resources to be featured in marketing campaigns.

For example, the school could mention a student’s short film they created in a course or include a clip from the short film in a Facebook promotional video. “[Students] have a very strange understanding of what intellectual property rights mean in this culture,” Andrews said.

“I don’t know how students will react, but I hope there will be a conversation about it.

Ideally, it would be something that students feel they can weigh in on.”

Per intellectual property guidelines, the student should be credited. However,

People always worry about their art being put to use as they don’t intend. People are often very personally attached to their art.

Jonathan Masur

Andrews said the need for students to give permission for their work to be used and whether they are compensated would be decided on a case-by-case basis.

“We need to have something in place, not so the college can profit from student work, but just so we can feature it,” Andrews said.

For Masur, the policy proposal seems “heavy-handed” because students would usually be delighted to have their work featured. He added that the school could be using this policy to avoid bargaining or compensating students for their work.

Student Trustee for the Student Government Association and junior public relations major Veronique Hall said the policy would be a positive addition if students are guaranteed credit and, in some cases, compensation.

“This is what we’re here for. The fact we have the possibility and opportunity to get our work out there is great,” Hall said.

In either case, Masur said the school needs to notify everyone of the rule if implemented so no one is “surprised unhappily after the fact.”

“People always worry about their art being put to use as they don’t intend. People are often very personally attached to their art,” Masur said. “If I were a student ... I might be a little worried the school would use it for some purpose I didn’t approve of.”

Faculty Senate members have been pushing for an intellectual property policy to guide the college on clear ownership mandates for faculty.

During a Sept. 14, 2018, Faculty Senate meeting, Associate Professor in the Interactive Arts and Media Department Dave Gerding said senators have received pushback in the past on proposed policies from administrators.

“We came up with a policy that would’ve covered faculty [and] thought the administration might be interested. It evaporated,” Gerding said during the meeting. “There’s been resistance. There’s never an impulse to clarify IP because it’ll mean having an honest conversation with faculty.”

Andrews said establishing an intellectual property policy for the faculty and students may move quicker under incoming provost Marcella Davis, who has a law background.

“It is necessary there is open dialogue between faculty, administration and students [when] proposing this, especially since it’s students’ work,” Hall said. ayetter@columbiachronicle.com

/CHR ONICL E

APRIL 15, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 3

campus

Biology minors defy art school stereotypes » BRIDGET EKIS STAFF REPORTER

FOR ALL OF YOUR ART SUPPLY NEEDS, SHOP

as well try to take the best from both of them.”

Senior illustration major and biology minor Allison Pardieck plans to pursue a similar path in medical illustration.

After her freshman year, Pardieck switched her major from journalism to illustration when she noticed she spent most of her free time drawing. Pardieck spoke with faculty about how to combine science with drawing.

“There’s going to be a lot of times where you’re going to feel stupid,” Pardieck said. “You’re going to feel like you’re expected to know ... how to draw [everything] accurately, but it’s a process and there’s a lot of resources out there for help.”

Visit ColumbiaChronicle.com for the full story. bekis@columbiachronicle.com » HALIE PARKINSON/CHRONICLE

AFTER MEE NA Feng’s classmate at Loyola University Chicago found out about Feng’s background in fiction writing at Columbia, she told Feng it did not make sense for her to be good at both writing and science.

Feng graduated from Columbia in 2015 with a major in fiction writing and a double minor in American Sign Language studies and biology. Upon graduation, Feng decided to continue in science and pursue a second bachelor’s in neuroscience from Loyola.

Feng plans to attend the University of Illinois at Chicago for a Ph.D. in learning sciences.

“For me, neuroscience isn’t super different from writing,” Feng said. “I’ve always been interested in people—how we feel, how we behave and what we do. Neu-

roscience is the exact same thing, but it’s a quantification of that.”

Since its 2013 introduction, 19 students have graduated with a biology minor, and an additional 25 are currently in progress, according to Julie Minbiole, associate professor and coordinator of the biology minor.

Feng realized after taking the “Cancer Biology” course at Columbia that she only needed a few more classes to complete the biology minor. She had no initial intentions of going into medicine.

During her time at Columbia, Feng worked with Victoria Can, an assistant professor of instruction in the Science and Mathematics Department, on an independent experiment study where they determined if people had specific genes in their DNA. Can has helped multiple students with independent research projects and continues to be a

resource for students interested in science.

Elizabeth Moss graduated in 2014 with a degree in illustration and a minor in biology. During their freshman year, Moss also chose to do an independent study with Can on antibiotic resistance.

Moss presented the research in the fall of 2013 at the Argonne National Laboratory with Can and continued to work on the project until the summer after their graduation.

“That was interesting, especially when they found out I was an illustration major,” Moss said.

Moss graduated from the biomedical visualization master’s program at UIC in 2018 and now does freelance work.

Moss said science and art can work together, which was reaffirmed in graduate school when they noticed pre-med and biology students using diagrams and pictures as a form of studying.

“Little moments like that make you realize that trying to separate the arts and the sciences isn’t a good idea,” Moss said. “You might

Despite the idea that most Columbia graduates go on to pursue careers in art, multiple students in the past decade have gone into STEM fields.

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Thursday April 18 Student Piano & String Recital #5 at the Sherwood

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Friday April 19 New Music Ensemble of Indiana University Wyatt Carson Senior Recital at the Sherwood

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6 THE CHRONICLE APRIL 15, 2019

arts culture

Play examines immigration stereotypes » ColumbiaChronicle.com

New exhibit highlights Hollywood film fashion, influence during ‘30s and ‘40s

» KACI WATT STAFF REPORTER

The classic silhouettes and cuts of the ‘30s and ‘40s can still be seen in many fashion designs today.

exhibits that have a particular focus within the community of Chicago.

“The [exhibits] deal with the people and culture throughout the city, as well as other issues that have a foothold in Chicago [and] have an impact on the nation or the world at large,” Bethea said.

Senior fashion design major Laura Luna is a student of Heaven’s. Luna said Heaven’s passion for fashion history is apparent and contagious.

“History to me is a little boring, but when [Heaven] talks about it, it is fun,” Luna said.

“She stresses that contemporary fashion is important but also [the importance of] fashion throughout history.”

A companion catalog features a photograph of every garment and an essay written by Heaven that goes further into

the historical detail of the pieces featured in the exhibit.

“An exhibition goes up, and then it comes down. If you have a publication, then that lives on,” Heaven said. “It’s important when you do an exhibition to make sure something gets written down. Otherwise, it gets lost when the exhibition goes away.”

Since the exhibit opened, both Heaven and Bethea said they have often heard people remark how they would wear the pieces today.

“The clothes that were being designed in the ‘30s and ‘40s were so classically thoughtful,” Heaven said. “That really speaks to the longevity and incisiveness of American style.” kwatt@columbiachronicle.com » HALIE PARKINSON/CHRONICLE

EVEN IN BLACK and white, old Hollywood films showcased garments’ lush textures, detailed cuts and simple silhouettes—the hallmarks of ‘30s and ‘40s fashion.

The Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St., displays glamorous garments from Paris, Hollywood, New York and Chicago in its latest exhibit “Silver Screen to Mainstream: American Fashion in the 1930s and ‘40s.”

Featuring 30 pieces from the museum’s permanent collection, the exhibit focuses on how Hollywood dominated as the hub of fashion and trends during the Great Depression and World War II era, said Virginia Heaven, guest curator and associate professor in the Fashion Department.

“There are some sensational pieces,” Heaven said. “The inspiration was coming from the movies.”

According to Heaven, famous designers including Chanel, Madeleine Vionnet, Valentina, Paul du Pont, Howard Greer and Adrian are featured in the exhibit.

Even in the darkest economic days of the ‘30s, around 80 to 85 million people were going to the movies each week, Heaven said. For both upper- and lower-class members, movies were a haven, and having the fashion of the silver screen exposed to so many resulted in its inf luence over American fashion.

Heaven said in addition to vintage garments on display, the story of how the fashion capital shifted from Paris to Hollywood is weaved throughout the exhibit.

“Having a room full of pretty things isn’t that interesting unless there’s some kind of story to go with it,” Heaven said. “It’s essential you know what you’re trying to convey when you begin that process.”

The curation process took a total of 10 months, which Heaven said was a short amount of time for such an exhibit. The exhibit will be on display until Jan. 21, 2020.

While the exhibit does not focus entirely on Chicago, the featured pieces were all worn by affluent Chicagoans during the era, said the museum’s Director of Curatorial Affairs Charles Bethea.

He added the museum only features

The exhibit showcases how high-end fashion began to trickle down into household designs.

APRIL 15, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 7

arts & culture

Palestinian culture shared during annual film festival »

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that put into a film,” Akel said. “He incorporates a lot of Palestinian rights and the Palestinian and Israeli conflict, and he puts it into a peaceful form of art for people to understand.”

The Gene Siskel Film Center has been hosting the festival for more than 10 years. Director of Programming Barbara Scharres said the festival does not discriminate across the board and includes films by Israeli filmmakers as well as other countries in the Middle East.

“There’s quite a body of work by Palestinian directors,” she said. “The festival tries to encompass that kind of work on a very selective basis, and we feel that it’s important to be seen.”

AN

The festival is the longest-running Palestinian film festival in the world, according to the festival THE 51-DAY WAR between Gaza website. It is descibed as “a non-poand Israel in 2014 left some litical, nonprofit organization Palestinians homeless. This is sharing the stories of Palestine explored in the documentary [through] a social justice orga“Killing Gaza,” playing at this nization that works tirelessly to year’s Palestine Film Festival. improve the lives of Palestinian The festival will take place at people both here and abroad.” the Gene Siskel Film Center of This year, the festival held the School of the Art Institute a competition asking amateur of Chicago, 164 N. State St., and filmmakers to create a short film— will run April 20 through May less than five minutes long—via 2. It will feature a variety of a smartphone. Elkhatib said the films directed and produced by contestants need to have no trainpeople from all over the world ing or experience in filmmaking, showcasing Palestinian culture. and they cannot enter if they have Festival Executive Director made a film prior. They are offerKhaled Elkhatib said there are ing a $500 prize for the winner. nine showings this year, and the Junior communication major opening film “Screwdriver” will Hinda Akel has never been to the have a second showing April 25. festival but is looking forward “It’s about Palestine and the to seeing “The Man Who Stole Palestinian experience and cul- Banksy,” a documentary about ture,” he said. “Sometimes it’s street artist Banksy. a very simple thing we take “I always love looking at his work, for granted.” so it’d be really interesting to see » YASMEEN SHEIKAH STAFF REPORTER

ysheikah@columbiachronicle.com

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arts & culture

‘Admissions’ urges self-examination amid college admissions scandals

» COURTESY BROKEN NOSE THEATRE

things they’re discussing. When a joke is served up to them, they just want to laugh so much to feel a little less tense.”

During the first few weeks of rehearsal, the Hollywood admis» KATHERINE SAVAGE sions scandals broke. Famous parSTAFF REPORTER ents, such as Lori Loughlin, have been accused of rigging college AS HEAD OF admissions at Hillcrest entrance exams and bribing uniBoarding School, Sherri Mason’s versity officials to allow their chiljob is to bring more diversity to the dren to attend prestigious schools. predominantly white student popIn the play, the characters are ulation. Her son Charlie dreams not bribing anyone but they are of attending Yale, but when he doing some questionable things for learns his application has been admissions, including calling in deferred, he believes it is because friends at universities. The admisthe school wants to increase its sions scandal proved to be a “kind diversity quota. of tip-off that this can reach toxic “Admissions” uses comedy to levels of whiteness,” Wechsler said. approach touchy topics, such as One of the challenges the prorace, gender and politics. The play duction team faced was casting. will run until May 12 at Theater “Admissions” looks at race, gender and politics by telling the story of Charlie, The play is written primarily for Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave., and who believes he was deferred from Yale so it could reach its diversity quota. a white cast, but Wechsler said he student tickets can be purchased humor,” Wechsler said, “especially relatable characters anyone is able was concerned about excluding online or at the box office for $15. in a play like ‘Admissions,’ where to recognize. people of color.

Theater Wit Artistic Director we’re really encouraging a white, “It’s funny because [the comedy “This play is about some of the Jeremy Wechsler said the goal of progressive audience to turn their is] true and the characters are real,” soft racism on the white, progres“Admissions” is self-examination. eyes against themselves.”

Curry said. “The play is so much sive side,” Wechsler said. “Racism “It’s very hard to approach these Kyle Curr y, who plays about tension, and the audience is white people’s problem to solve. taboo topics without the edge of Charlie, said the show features feels [uncomfortable] about the We’re the ones chiefly doing it.

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I’m not sure we should get let off the hook by offloading the moral responsibility for this conversation onto characters of color in particular.”

Meighan Gerachis, who plays Sherri Mason, said she heard from several people they were happy there were no characters of color featured in the production to assume the responsibility of educating the white characters.

“People of color who have been [to the show have] said, ‘I’m so glad [there] wasn’t some magical character who was going to answer for all people of color against the massive monolith of white privilege,’” Gerachis said.

All of the characters have good intentions with what they try to accomplish, but everyone is a little hypocritical, Curry said.

“The play does a nice job of interrogating institutional racism as a larger topic through the lens of admissions,” Curry said. “It asks a lot of questions and doesn’t pretend to have the answers.” ksavage@columbiachronicle.com

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Accessible elevator “too expensive” for $17 million Blue Line updates » ColumbiaChronicle.com

Mayor Lightfoot met with hope and apprehension

L

are a powerful political force, and they are going to continue making bigger strides for the betterment of their communities.

Though this is a historic moment that deserves to be honored, we need to look beyond Lightfoot’s identity and hold her accountable as she becomes mayor in May. Before this election, Lightfoot served as president of the Chicago Police Board and as an assistant U.S. attorney.

Her ties to the police are reason enough to give us pause as she takes office. In light of the Van Dyke trial and the Jussie Smollett case, we need a mayor we can trust to use CPD resources effectively and curtail police violence.

Lightfoot must understand that a major part of her election was due to marginalized groups wanting to see themselves represented in Chicago politics. This is a huge responsibility and one she cannot take lightly. It is impossible to meet the needs of people of color and the LGBTQ community while justifying excessive use of force

The Mueller report will mark a turning point for young people

F

or many college students, the 2016 election was the first time we voted for major political office. It was our first opportunity to be politically engaged, hopeful and passionate about the future of the country.

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into the Trump campaign has been looming over America’s collective mind since only a few months after we went to the polls for the first time. Beginning in May 2017, Mueller’s team has investigated potential obstruction of justice and interference in the election cycle by Russia.

With the investigation completed and indictments made against a handful of members of Trump’s inner circle, Attorney General William Barr is the only person

identity or serious national security threats should be allowed, and such edits should be agreed upon by Congress.

Despite the narrative so many politicians and news organizations are presentin the country with access to the full, ing, this is about more than Trump. This uncensored report. It is his job to decide is about more than rhetoric and different what to release: to censor or not to censor, sides of the aisle. This is about whether we to share it with Congress or with the can trust the government that represents masses, to protect democus. Whatever the report contains, racy or to undermine it. we should be able to read it for ourThe report should be selves and draw our own conclureleased. Immediately. sions. The 138 million people The Mueller report who voted in the 2016 elecwill reveal whether our tion and the hundreds of voices actually matmillions of others affected tered. The contents of by their decision deserve the report will gauge the truth, no matter how just how hard we divisive, damaging or need to fight moving damning that truth may be. forward. Only a small In the past few years, politics level of redaction in the have strayed so far from the » PATRICK CASEY/CHRONICLE cases of private citizens’ transparency and integrity we

chronicle@colum.edu

» GRACE SENIOR/CHRONICLE

ori Lightfoot won the April 2 mayoral runoff in a landslide, becoming Chicago’s first openly-gay and first black female mayor. Winning in Chicago has made Lightfoot one of the most prominent politicians in the country overnight.

The election of a woman who lives on the intersection of diverse identities means a lot to Chicago’s marginalized communities. Even having a runoff election between two black women proves that Chicago is ahead of other places in the country.

LGBTQ people and people of color are severely underrepresented in government across the board, so seeing a black lesbian hold major political office is progress.

This election provides hope for further representation at the highest levels of government. The U.S. is supposed to be a representative democracy, and Lightfoot’s election is one of the first in the country to show that principle to its fullest extent.

The rest of the nation should take this election as a message: Marginalized people

by police, as she did in the early 2000s after reviewing a fatal shooting caught on video, according to a Feb. 20 Chicago Tribune report. Lightfoot went against the recommendation of investigators who would have seen the offending officer fired.

LGBTQ people and people of color are disproportionately affected by police violence.

Nationwide, 14% of black transgender people who interacted with police reported physical assault by the police and 6% reported sexual assault in 2014, according to a Human Rights Campaign report. These crimes often go underreported and ignored. Lightfoot will be the mayor of Chicago, which includes being mayor of those affected by police violence.

If representing the marginalized and bringing the light in—as she said during her campaign speech—is our new mayor’s goal, we must watch closely as she navigates her first political moves to see if she lives up to that. She will prove to us what kind of mayor she is going to be.

EDITORIAL Lightfoot is taking office at a time when Chicago is aching for change and reform.

If she can meet that challenge head-on, she has the potential to serve those who elected her in ways they want and deserve.

EDITORIAL crave. Following the constant flip-flopping, Twitter feuds and protests on the House floor is draining and unnerving.

Every day we sit on the edge of our seats, wondering what the next catastrophe is going to be. Releasing the Mueller report will prove that politics are more than just a game with dire consequences. It will prove honesty and accountability still matter amid the chaos and divisiveness.

The report’s release will mark a line in the sand; Barr has the choice of where to draw it. He has the opportunity to support transparency and to affirm there are still shreds of our democracy worth fighting for. Or he can side with cowardice that protects shrinking from the truth. Perhaps that is the direction our political system is swiftly sliding, but we will do everything in our power to push back and demand better. chronicle@colum.edu

Editorial Board Members Jay Berghuis Opinions Editor Katherine Savage Staff Reporter Kaci Watt Staff Reporter Alexandra Yetter Staff Reporter Knox Keranen Staff Reporter

10 THE CHRONICLE APRIL 15, 2019

Kristen Nichols Copy Chief Margaret Smith Copy Editor Shane Tolentino Graphic Designer Ethan Sandock Videographer Lauren Carlton Brand Manager

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 Columbia Chronicle Editorial Board

opinions COMMENTARY

Rapid insect decline is cause for worry

S

ummer evenings have always been filled with the steady hum of little insects flying around as the sun sets and the air cools. Annoying as they can be, their presence also means the arrival of one of my favorite winged creatures: fireflies. However, I noticed last summer, amid talk of the honey bee and monarch butterfly populations dwindling, their light shows had become few and far between.

What happened?

Hanyuan’s pesticide usage has led to the dramatic reduction of the bee population, forcing farmers to pollinate every fruit tree by hand. What was once done freely by insects has become yet another grueling task humans must undertake.

Loss of wild habitats where insects, plants and other creatures flourish has been getting worse for years. These wild habitats have been claimed for a variety of commercial purposes, such as city expansion and large-scale agriculture. Many of the insects that escaped the destruction found themselves without shelter, food or any vital resources needed to survive. With the pollinators gone, native plants will soon follow, and without native plants, all trophic levels— or levels of the food chain— above them will suffer.

Much like the problem of global warming, insect population decline is a large, complex problem with many potential causes and no clear method of recovery. However, there are still things normal people can do to

take action, even in the city and the suburbs. First, for those with garden space, it’s recommended by the Audubon Society to cultivate flowering plants native to the Midwest. For the avid gardener, using organic instead of synthetic pesticides and spraying at night when pollinators are less active is less harmful, ensuring invasive insects are kept under control. Finally, supporting legislation to federally protect what remains of natural wild land is critical for conservation efforts. These areas should remain undisturbed so flying insects can continue to populate and create that familiar steady hum in the warm weather for years to come. stolentino@columbiachronicle.com

POLITICAL CARTOON CONTEST WINNER After receiving 32 entries for The 2019 Paula Pfeffer and Cheryl Johnson-Odim Political Cartoon Contest, there is finally a winner.

The annual contest winners receive a certificate and a monetary prize.

Adele Sego, a senior traditional animation major, won first place for her cartoon and will receive $550.

Senior illustration major Megan Rivera won second place and will receive $450. Junior animation major Sung Min Byun took third place and will receive $350.

Junior illustration majors Mel Vargas and Shane Tolentino both received honorable mentions for their cartoons and will each receive $250.

The winners will be honored during a campus luncheon April 24.

• • • • •

1st Place (pictured): Adele Sego 2nd Place: Megan Rivera 3rd Place: Sung Min Byun Honorable Mention: Mel Vargas Honorable Mention: Shane Tolentino

APRIL 15, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 11

» SHANE TOLENTINO/CHRONICLE

» SHANE TOLENTINO GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Insect population decline has been an increasingly important subject on scientists’ minds.

Alarming numbers have been reported worldwide. One recent study of various German nature reserves published in 2017 shows a 75% decrease in all local flying insects over the last 27 years.

Insects are primary consumers, eaten by something else, which is again eaten by something else after that.

While humans are at the top of this food chain, we rely heavily on the levels underneath us. We need flying insects as pollinators for every plant species on the planet.

We already see the clear effects of what insects’ disappearance would cost in the Chinese county of Hanyuan. Known for its production of pears and cultivation of other fruit trees,

opinions

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Chicago bakeries gather for Donut Fest » ColumbiaChronicle.com/Multimedia

Democratic Socialist aldermen-elect to shake up City Council

» KNOX KERANEN &

ALEXANDRA YETTER STAFF REPORTERS CONSTITUENTS IN THE 2019 aldermanic elections voted to bring in five Democratic Socialist aldermen to be part of the increasingly diverse, left-leaning City Council.

If Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez wins the 33rd Ward race, which is still too close to call, she would become the sixth Democratic Socialist in the Council, joining Ald. Carlos RamirezRosa (35th) and newly-elected aldermen Daniel La Spata (1st), Jeanette Taylor (20th), Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) and Andre Vasquez (40th).

La Spata is eager to start his work.

On the morning of April 10, he was outside City Hall standing in solidarity with other aldermen-elect against the TIF funding for the Lincoln Yards project being voted on by Council members.

“It was all aldermen-elect [protesting], which is a striking show of what we can expect Chicago democracy to look like,” La Spata said. “The city very broadly voted for change. People saw the moment in this election to reject the history of corruption.”

Despite only having a small number of Democratic Socialists in City Council, Communications Coordinator

for the Chicago Democratic Socialists of America Zach Shearer hopes the new aldermen will be able to move the conversation left of the status quo.

For decades, Chicago DSA has battled over the word “socialist,” which has carried negative connotations since the Cold War, Shearer said.

Also protesting the TIF funding was Sigcho-Lopez, who said he has a lot on his plate.

Sigcho-Lopez is attempting to slowdown The 78 development plans, which advanced after an April 10 vote in which the City Council Finance Committee allowed the creation of a new TIF district to partially fund the 62-acre mega-development.

“A lot of residents don’t even know about this project and the massive amount of TIF dollars that it’s going to receive,” Sigcho-Lopez said.

The alderman-elect criticized developer Related Midwest and the City Council for rushing The 78 plans without details on affordable housing or communication with the development’s residential neighbors, as reported Feb. 8 by The Chronicle.

“It is always going to be a challenge to find consensus in City Council,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “We have more independent voices. The progressive caucus is expected to grow to [about]

18 members. The mayor will not have a rubber-stamp council.”

Vasquez, who defeated longtime Ald. Patrick O’Connor, said he understands skepticism from continuing aldermen for his economic and political leanings but wants to collaborate, nonetheless.

“I have my ideology, but ultimately we want to make sure we’re providing solutions as best we can,” Vasquez said.

Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th) is the most conservative member of the council, he said, but he said he respects views that align to the left of his.

“I am who I am; they are who they are,” Sposato said.

With differing political approaches, Vasquez said disagreements are likely, but aldermen need to get past that to put the City Council’s “best foot forward.”

“All the stories are about the Democratic Socialists coming in. ‘Is there going to be a takeover? Is it going to be a fight?’ If we start with people viewing it that way, it doesn’t help us actually find solutions,” Vasquez said. “[Diversity] is better for our democracy because what comes with that is a diverse set of perspectives and a diverse set of urgencies based on different issues.” chronicle@colum.edu

» GRACE SENIOR/CHRONICLE

APRIL 15, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 13

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» KENDALL POLIDORI STAFF REPORTER A LONG-ANTICIPATED VETERANS

kpolidori@columbiachronicle.com

I AT R

C K C A S E Y/ CH R ON

Breaking News: No. 1 in state four years in a row

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14 THE CHRONICLE APRIL 15, 2019

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private bathroom and wheelchairaccessible shower.

The homes offer a variety of skilled care, some with independent living. MacDonna said veterans who want to live in the homes must go through an application process.

Ald. Nicholas Sposato (38th Ward) said the new home will help economic development for the area. He added residents respond greatly to projects or proposals when they involve veterans.

Senior cinema arts and science major and Air Force veteran Scott Taylor said the Veterans Affairs centers he has visited have not had the best service. He did say a veterans home being added to the city is long overdue.

“The fact that Illinois is adding that extra layer of support for veterans is fantastic,” Taylor said.

Freshman filmmaking major and Air Force veteran Seth Walter

home’s construction was held at the beginning of the month. He said the facility will have the comforts of home and that a large number of veterans in Illinois live in Chicago, so a closer one will benefit them greatly.

“We are fighting for veterans who have fought for us,” Mulroe said.

»P

home in Norwood Park is set to be completed by the end of 2019 after being put on hold for 10 years.

The home, 4250 N. Oak Park Ave., will be the first in Chicago and the fifth in Illinois, with other homes located in Manteno, Lasalle, Quincy and Anna.

During the past 10 years, the project has seen a number of complications, including a budget impasse under former Gov. Bruce Rauner, a design flaw due to earthquake resistance zoning requirements and funding problems.

“I wish it was built sooner, but I am not going to focus on that. I just want to focus on the future and getting the veterans into the home,” said State Sen. John Mulroe (D-Chicago). “I have been

fighting for funding for as long as I have been a state senator.”

Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs Public Information Officer David MacDonna said the veterans homes are long-term nursing homes for elderly veterans. He said all four current homes offer 900 beds total, and the Chicago location adds 200 more to that count.

“They are going to be surrounded by fellow veterans,” MacDonna said. “Everyone there will have a lot in common as far as their service or what they did in the various branches they served.”

The new Chicago home consists of five floors. The first floor will have common spaces and administrative offices. On the second floor, there will be four secure units with rooftop garden outdoor spaces. Each residential room is single occupancy with a

said there are veterans homes all across the country, and a number of them are not efficient. Walter said he has experienced issues with the VA himself, including not receiving immediate help when he needed counseling.

MacDonna said the home will hire various skilled nurses to fit the needs of its patients.

“There are so many terrible experiences people have had with the VA, specifically in nursing homes or hospitals, so I am a lways a little [wary] in general of the idea,” Walter said. “It just feels like a newer version of what we already have, and what we have doesn’t work.”

Mulroe said the groundbreaking ceremony of the

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Chicago’s first veterans home to be completed this year

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FEATURED PHOTO

» STEVEN NUNEZ/CHRONICLE

The Englewood community joined together to raise awareness about gun violence at HugsNoSlugs’ first annual All-Star Game at Englewood’s Urban Prep Academy, 6201 S. Stewart Ave., April 6.

APRIL 15, 2019 THE CHRONICLE 15

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