THE DAILY ILLINI
MONDAY March 5, 2018
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
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Vol. 147 Issue 46
GEO strike moves into second week The GEO
strike: a detailed overview BY JESSICA BERBEY ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR
After 11 hours of contract negotiations with the University administration failed, the Graduate Employees’ Organization began to strike for tuition waivers, health care and wage increases at 8 a.m. last Monday morning. On Feb. 25, Andreas Cangellaris, vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost, released a statement saying the University has “made generous and serious proposals that address (the GEO’s) concerns.” “We are ready to resume the bargaining process and we hope we will reach an agreement that ends the strike as quickly as possible,” Cangellaris said. Cangellaris said the University and the GEO have made significant progress toward a final agreement. “We want to ensure Illinois’ sustainable excellence in graduate education and research by remaining competitive in attracting the most talented, hard-working and brightest graduate students in the world,” Can-
NIKKY GARY THE DAILY ILLINI
Graduate students protest the University administration’s stance on the contract between the University and the Graduate Employees’ Organization. The GEO has been on strike for a week now. According to University spokeswoman Robin Kaler, 27 classes were canceled and 66 were relocated to buildings not being picketed. The GEO is hoping for tuition waivers, affordable health care and wage increases after this strike. According to the GEO’s Twitter, Friday marked the longest strike in University history and the organization’s 200th day since its contract expired.
Anti-Semitic bias still excluded from ballot BY CORI LIPPERT STAFF WRITER
A petition to recognize anti-Semitism as an independent category on the Office of Student Conflict Resolution bias report was unable to make the student referendum ballot. The bias report does not allow students to mark anti-Semitism under a certain category, said Moshe Gross, senior in LAS and one of the students behind the petition. Since Judaism is considered both a religion and an ethnicity, it does not fit under any certain category, which means it is considered as unknown to the University.
“Wanting to protect students against anti-Semitic attacks or anti-Semitism in general on campus is really important, but I think that this particular definition is really dangerous because it includes any negative targeting or negative critique of the Jewish state or the Israeli state,” said Samantha Brotman, membership manager at Jewish Voice for Peace. Many Jewish students on campus will be recorded as anti-Semitic under this definition because there are many Jewish students on campus who have legitimate criticisms SEE ISRAEL | 3A
INSIDE
A year in review: men’s basketball
Student duo breaks into the EDM scene
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Concerns rise over strike cost Graduate employees on strike
BY OLIVIA WELSHANS STAFF WRITER
As contract negotiations between the University and the Graduate Employees’ Organization continue, and as the GEO’s strike moves into its second week, students are experiencing class cancellations and other negative side effects. According to information collected across colleges, a total of 466 classes were canceled in the first week of the strike. These class cancellations have led some students to consider demanding possible refunds or compensation from the University, as well as knowing how money withheld from graduate employees will be used. Robin Kaler, associate chancellor for public affairs, said the administration has no plans to offer compensation or refunds to undergraduate students for classes they have had canceled. “Giving refunds is not helpful. What is helpful is delivering education,” Kaler said. Gus Wood, co-president of the GEO, said picket lines and strikers have been increasingly disruptive to education, shutting down buildings and class meetings. He said, though, they have accomplished what they set out to
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*Based on four average hours worked per day at an average of $23.87 per hour
$6,397.16 $9,738.96 $13,844.60 $16,518.04 $8,211.28
$54,710.04 Week’s total
SOURCE ROBIN KALER AND UI HUMAN RESOURCES
do by emphasizing the importance of teaching assistants. “We have multiple members and undergrads posting on social media on how their professors don’t know how to (use the) technology or how the professor needs the TA,” Wood said. Kaler said the University is attempting to keep classes going during the strike by moving classes from picketed buildings, offering online
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BERCHAM KAMBER THE DAILY ILLINI
classes or getting substitute teachers. Some students, like LAS sophomore Lauren Castaneda, said they think attempts by the University to continue classes have been insufficient. Castaneda said she feels students should be entitled to some type of compensation for cancellations and the decrease in education quality. “I personally paid for my classes out-of-pocket. I work
hard to pay for my classes,” Castaneda said. “Just knowing that I can’t go to them and I am still paying for them, I definitely think we should be refunded.” Other students are not sure compensation for students is the right option. Andrea Baldwin, senior in LAS, said refunds for students might not be feasible, but something
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