SPRING TECHNOGRAPH SEE INSERT THURSDAY March 9, 2017
THE DAILY ILLINI
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The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
Replacement mascot not a priority for chancellor
BOBBY KNIER
RANEEM SHAMSELDIN
SENATOR IN LAS
SENATOR IN BUSINESS
Vol. 146 Issue 47
BY JESSICA BERBEY STAFF WRITER
For over two decades, Chief Illiniwek, the University’s mascot from 1926 to 2007, was at the center of an ongoing controversy. “The Chief is permanently retired. It is a part of our history,” said University spokeswoman Robin Kaler in an email. The Chief was portrayed by a student dressed in Sioux regalia and often performed during halftime at sporting events. Native American groups argued that the mascot was not only a misappropriation of indigenous culture but stereotypical of Native Americans. The Chief was permanently retired in February 2007, and though a decade has passed, there aren’t signs of a new mascot being chosen anytime soon. “It isn’t that moving forward from the past isn’t a priority,” Kaler said. “But Chancellor Jones has been here for just a few months, and he joined a university that is facing an unprecedented state budget crisis. It makes sense to look at this issue within that context.” The University is also in the beginning stages of a review of their diversity efforts, Kaler said, while launching a new strategic planning process. The issue of the mascot therefore isn’t a primary concern. “There is no official timeline (as to when a mascot might be chosen),” Kaler said. “The chancellor recently enlisted a group of leaders from peer institutions to conduct an external review of all of our diversity efforts. This issue is among the things to be addressed in that review.” Though Chief Illiniwek was not based on an actual Native American chief, nor did a historical figure with this name ever exist, many students believe that appropriating Native American culture is wrong. “I don’t mind having a mascot, as long as it’s not the Chief or anything similarly offensive to some-
Candidates fight for final votes Technical issues leave student trustee candidate off ballot
Candidate drops out
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
BY GILLIAN DUNLOP
Some students noticed trustee candidate Trayshawn Mitchell was left off the student election ballot this morning, causing confusion. Mitchell said that the Campus Student Election Commission contacted all of the trustee candidates last weekend about submitting their documentation by 8 a.m. on March 6. The documentation requested formal proof that all candidates are students at the University. Mitchell was not in town
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during the weekend because he was tending to his dying grandfather, and did not see the email until Sunday night. When he went to click the link to submit his documentation it did not work. “Campus Student Election Commission sent me a bogus link,” Mitchell said. “It didn’t work and they asked for proof that it didn’t work, then they said they had a technical difficulty and they’d send me a new link.” After a few back and forth correspondences between Mitchell and a member of
the election commission, the member apologized for the technical difficulties and wrote in an email, “don’t worry, you won’t be penalized in any way for tech issues.” The next day, Mitchell was taken off the ballot. He sent an email to the election commission member and asked when the mistake would be fi xed. Mitchell received an email back that said “you failed to submit the required eligibility documentation by the deadline” and “did not follow up
BY GILLIAN DUNLOP
Confusion arose among students when the sample ballot for student body president, released by the Campus Student Election Commission, featured only one candidate’s name: Raneem Shamseldin. Students were uncertain whether fellow candidates, Bobby Knier and Jesse Tabak, were still campaigning for the position. Knier confirmed that he is
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KAM’s violates liquor laws, loses license
It can be alcoholism in college
BY JESSICA BURSZTYNSKY
BY ANDREA FLORES
STAFF WRITER
STAFF WRITER
Campustown bar KAM’s is facing legal repercussions after admitting to four Champaign liquor law violations in late 2016. The penalties, approved by Mayor and Liquor Commissioner Deborah Frank Feinen, include a six day suspension of KAM’s liquor license, which was approved for Feb. 26 to 28 and March 27 to 29, and will result in the bar being closed for those days, said Deputy Liquor Commissioner Matt Roeschley. After a liquor establishment faces several violations, such as KAM’s, a city hearing will be set and the establishment will follow with a negotiation for penalties. “There are a number of different measures that the city can take as penalties under the liquor code,” Roeschley said. “There are other conditions that might relate to security or better processes to prevent the types of violations that they’re guilty of to happen in the future.” In addition, KAM’s has agreed to installing more lighting, a better camera system and better ID readers. The bar must also only allow entry to those 21 or older for two days. Champaign police Sgt. Joe Ketchem said KAM’s had two violations of “announcement by licensee,” which occurs when an
“It’s not alcoholism when you’re in college,” is a common joke heard around many campuses. But many people struggle to admit they have an Alcohol Use Disorder, said Kurt Hegeman, clinical and certified alcohol and drug counselor at the Counseling Center. About 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries every year, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Almost 60 percent of college students ages 18–22 drank alcohol in the past month, and almost 2 out of 3 of them engaged in
JESSICA JUTZI THE DAILY ILLINI
Students sit at KAM’s bar on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The popular campus establishment recently lost its liquor license. employee relays the message to patrons that the police are present. Additional violations were the presence of a minor in a liquor establishment and the sale of alcohol to a person under 21. One of KAM’s main problems, Ketchem said, was that minors were getting into the establishment through a faulty fence. The Champaign police department will use three ways to check for penalties, said Ketchem. Officers will sweep the streets, looking for signs of intoxicated people, do regular bar checks, in which officers will themselves enter a bar, and also lead covert minor sales, where officers will send in minors and see if they will be sold alcohol.
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Bars will be issued violations relating to their size, Ketchem said. So a bar with higher occupancy, such as KAM’s or the Red Lion, will have to have 13 or more tickets issued to patrons in one night for the bar to receive a violation. The police department will do raids solely to enforce the law and do not receive any funds from ticketing bars or students. Students have a “grand idea that the police department makes money from this,” which is not the case, said Ketchem.
KAM’s did not return multiple requests for comment.
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UI students weigh in on divestment
Illini of the Week: Isaiah Martinez wins again
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binge drinking during that same timeframe. “Few students want to believe that they can’t control their drinking and behavior,” Hegeman said in an email. The Counseling Center offers services to students who may be struggling with an Alcohol Use Disorder. These include confidential assessments with a counselor and recommendations to psychoeducation workshops, short-term counseling and group therapy. “We now use the term Substance Use Disorder instead of alcoholism.” Hegeman said. “Our Center focuses on harm reduction, not necessarily absti-
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