THURSDAY September 12, 2019
THE DAILY ILLINI The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
Visit our website! Vol. 149 Issue 6
Campus concerns spark interest in student government you serve,” Josellis said. “My plan for that this year is listening sessions at different cultural houses, RSOs and Greek life to ask what we can do to complete plans and make their lives better.” Josellis said he also wants the trend of increased young voter turnout and activism to continue on campus with public campaigns to register and get out to vote in the upcoming primaries. “In 2018, we had one of the highest turnouts in decades, and I like to think that was partly due to the student government ’s efforts,” Josellis said. “We want to bring some candidates to campus, get students excited and push them to vote.” Josellis said in the end, the true power to push for change lies with the University’s student body. “ With our diverse, 44,000-student body, we can make noise, and the University knows that,” Josellis said. “(ISG) has a microphone and a platform that we can use to speak out on behalf of all the students, we have connections with administration and our main role is to shine a spotlight on students fighting for change so the administration will listen.”
BY CLARE BUDIN ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR
In response to increasing activism and mounting concerns over college expenses, campus divisiveness and student safety, Illinois Student Government is establishing plans to create a more secure and satisfying University experience for all students. Susan Zhou, junior in LAS and speaker tempore of the student senate, said the student government acts as a powerful mediator between concerned or frustrated students and members of University administration who can enact official change. “Being the official voice means that we have direct lines to many within University administration who are obligated to listen to what we have to say and recommend,” Zhou said. Student body president and junior in Media, Connor Josellis, said he intends to establish proposals based on his campaign platform of environmental sustainability, campus and textbook affordability, student safety and student advocacy. “Textbook affordability is something I’m really interested in,” Josellis said. “It’s just an egregious cost on students. Something I’ll be looking into this year is
AKI AKHAURI THE DAILY ILLINI
The Illini Student Government meets on the second floor of the Illini Union on Sunday.
pushing open-source textbooks, which are basically online, free and just as credible as the ones you’d get at the bookstore.” In the wake of an incident at Allen Hall last week where a noose was discovered in a dormitory elevator, a symbol largely perceived
as a racist threat referencing lynchings, Josellis said ISG took steps to make the voices of students who were directly affected by the event heard. “Most recently the vice chancellor, the new dean of students and a few others from the vice chancellor’s
office came to our meeting to listen to black students across campus about the noose incident that happened,” Josellis said. “It’s making sure that we have detailed plans that we can present them and they can follow through on.” Payal Patel, sophomore in
Business and ISG’s chair of public relations, said in an email the organization and its members plan to host listening sessions with different University groups and communities to gauge specific needs and concerns. “The question is how do you reach out to the people claredb2@dailyillini.com
Campus coffee shops go green pose naturally in the environment. In order for that to happen, microorganisms metabolize and break down plastic. This is less harmful to the environment than traditional plastics. There are two forms of biodegradable plastics: injection molded and solid. Food containers and water bottles use the solid form of biodegradable plastic. Although Espresso Royale recently changed the lids on their drinks to be more eco-
BY LUIS VELAZQUEZ STAFF WRITER
Local coffee shops have been showing an effort to help the environment by using eco-friendly plastic straws, cups and lids. However, not all establishments have caught up with the latest trend. Students may have come across biodegradable products, such as bags and straws, at coffee shops on campus. According to Precision Engineered Products, biodegradable plastics decom-
SEE GO GREEN | 3A
MADELINE PIERCE THE DAILY ILLINI
Kayla Stewart, sophomore in LAS, and Haki Shabazz Materre, senior in AHS, being interviewed at the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center on Friday. A report for the 2018-19 academic year showed 475 African American students enrolled in the University last fall.
UI sees drop in African American enrollment BY KIMBERLY BELSER STAFF REPORTER
The University is working to improve campus diversity after a report for the 2018-19 academic year showed a decrease in the number of African American students enrolled last fall. The report showed 475 African American students enrolled in the University last fall, compared to the 500 students in 2017 and 548 students in 2016. The class report for 2019 was released on Thursday. Based on various surveys given to students who declined their admissions offer, it’s common for cost to
be listed as the primary reason for choosing to attend a different university, said Kevin Pitts, vice provost for undergraduate education. According to the 2018 decline survey data provided by Daniel Mann, associate provost for enrollment management, said in an email 32% of underrepresented minority students chose “extremely” as a response to whether cost influenced their decision not to attend the university, with only 14% responding “not at all.” Haki Shabazz Materre, senior in AHS, said while he thinks tuition is a influential component in a pro-
DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS
INSIDE
Police
2A
spective student’s decision, other factors like mental health and structural racism play a role as well. Materre said events like the swastika vandalism in 2016 and a recent incident involving a noose left in Allen Hall caused him to reconsider his safety on the University’s campus. Kayla Stewart, sophomore in LAS, said along with tuition, recruiting is another factor to consider when looking into the decreased enrollment rate of African American students. “In terms of recruiting, it’s as if U of I isn’t an option for black students in inner
@THEDAILYILLINI, @DI_OPINION, @DI_SPORTS |
Life
&
Culture
4A
|
Crossword
5A
cities or in-state,” she said. MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI Stewart, who is from Chi- The interior of the Espresso Royale in Urbana is pictured on cago, said while a lot of her May 6. Espresso Royale recently changed the lids on their friends were considering drinks to be more eco-friendly by making them straw-less in-state schools to apply to, they didn’t apply to the University. “It’s like they don’t reach out to us in ways that they should,” she said. “So it’s always like we’re not welcome, it’s not accessible to us and along with cost, I think the topic of retention also needs to be addressed.” In hopes of increasing Features: Sports: not only diversity, but Meatless options Betiku produces also support for students from all backgrounds, more popular on field for Illini the University designed on campus
INSIDE
SEE ENROLLMENT | 3A
THEDAILYILLINI |
Opinions
6A
@THEDAILYILLINI |
Letters
6A
|
Sports
PAGE 2B
THEDAILYILLINI 1B
|
Classifieds
PAGE 5A
DAILYILLINI 4B
|
Sudoku
THEDAILYILLINI 4B
|
buzz
6B