THE DAILY ILLINI
MONDAY April 1, 2019
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The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 148 Issue 53
Model predicts gender parity BY EUNICE ALPASAN STAFF WRITER
Certain patterns regarding women in STEM fields sparked interest in research assistant professor Sara Clifton from the Department of Mathematics. “The fraction of women in these fields has generally increased over time, but as you go higher levels of leadership within STEM fields, the fraction of women proportionally was lower,” Clifton said. “I was wondering, ‘What’s going to happen eventually? Are all these fields heading (toward) gender parity, or is that not the case?’” Clifton and her research team created a mathematical model in hopes of answering these questions. They concluded gender parity in professional hierarchies may never be reached in some fields unless there are conscious efforts to address these gender disparities in the workplace. The mathematical model considers the decisions of two main groups that determine whether someone gets promoted: the people applying for promotions and the people who grant them. In simplifying the decisionmaking process, researchers then examined levels of gender bias in those granting promotion and gender homophily in those applying for promotions. “A major process that goes into whether someone is deciding to apply for promotion is whether they feel like they belong in that next level up in the hierarchy,” Clifton said. “Seeing lots of women in the level above you, if you’re a woman, would make you feel more comfortable. That’s called homophily — self-seeking, seeking people who are like you.” The study found if gender bias and feelings of homophily were weak, then gender parity would be reached. However, if either gender bias or homophily is too strong, those fields will likely not reach gender parity. According to the model, the teaching of chemistry, math and computer science are predicted to never reach gender parity, at least in the highest levels of leadership. In contrast, medicine, law and journalism are expected to reach gender parity without the
MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI
Construction continues on Armory Avenue and Wright Street on Tuesday. The project hopes to reduce conflict between pedestrians, bikes and buses.
Construction aims to reduce potential conflict City agencies began unearthing Armory Avenue and Wright Street in early March. For the spring semester, here’s what students need to know: MCORE Project 4 is underway and its construction sites are here to stay. The Multimodal Corridor Enhancement Project is a five-part upheaval and reconstruction of several vital Champaign-Urbana public transportation sites. MCORE aims to balance methods of transportation and reduce conflicts between buses, bikers and pedestrians. Its first project in 2017 revamped Green from Wright streets to Busey Avenue, adding new bus stops, bike lanes, a transit island and widening roads near the Illini Union. MCORE rides off a $15.7 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, along with $31.2 million from the University, Mass Transit Department and the cities of Urbana and Champaign. Project 4 is the largest and costliest, resurfacing at an estimated $10 million. Why the high bill? Not only are Wright Street and Armory Avenue transit hot spots in need of significant renovation, but construction workers are also replacing a 100-year-old water main underneath the intersection while the ground is
unearthed. The finished project will reduce potential conflict areas via wider streets, elevated bike lanes, more pronounced lane designations, a bike curve on Armory Avenue and Wright Street and a new transit boarding island, said MCORE Public Information Officer Kris Koester. “Better width streets, safer bike paths, wider sidewalks. Bear with us,” Koester said. Construction follows a tight schedule laid out in MCORE’s initial proposal. For MCORE to meet the 2021 deadline specified in the TIGER grant, some resurfacing had to occur during the semester. Student complaints derive from the lack of University communication about the construction. Sarah Wheeler, sophomore in Business, is a member of Pi Beta Phi and lives in the chapter house on Wright Street. Members of the sorority felt blindsided seeing their typical class routes walled off without prior notification, Wheeler said. “Since what’s blocked off changes every day, you never really know what to expect or what you’ll be able get through each day,” Wheeler said. Likewise, some feel Project 4 cramps an already construction-laden campus. Sushobhan Sen is a graduate teaching assistant who spends much of his time in the Civil Engineering Build-
Project status Wright Street/Armory Avenue (MCORE project 4)
SPRINGFIELD
February 2019
1A
March 2019 - August 2019 Northbound traffic only
1B
May 2019 - August 2019 Full closure
1C
Sept. 2019 - Dec. 2019 Northbound traffic only
2A
2020 Under traffic
2B
Summer 2020 Full closure
2C
2020 Full closure
2D
2020 Under traffic
HEALY
GREEN
WRIGHT
STAFF WRITER
6TH
BY ETHAN SIMMONS
JOHN
DANIEL
CHALMERS
ARMORY
Source: Champaign Public Works Department
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Teacher shortage sparks licensing reevaluation BY SARA PIETRZAK STAFF WRITER
As the state of Illinois experiences a continual decrease in the number of certified teachers, the Illinois Senate, along with other higher education leaders, have come together to analyze the licensing process. In the most recent report done by the Illinois Board of Education, the school year of 2017-2018 saw a total of 1,407 teaching positions unfilled and a 3.4 percent decrease of teachers in the past decade. Nancy Latham, executive director of the council on teacher education, said the University’s College of Education has also seen the same trend in recent enrollment. “The teaching shortage in Illinois (is concentrated) in very specific content areas and geographic areas. There are critical shortages in math, science, special education, bilingual education and early childhood special education,” Latham said. The state’s approach to
this shortage is to reevaluate the lengthy and expensive licensing process including the three tests required for prospective teachers: the edTPA, TAP 400, SAT or ACT and the Illinois content test. Latham said the TAP 400 is a basic skills test, which is more of a hindrance due to its level of difficulty. She said most students use the SAT or ACT as a replacement. However, Latham agrees with some legislatures that basic skills tests are not an efficient way of gauging a student’s basic skill set. “If you are a degree seeker, you are required to take (general education classes) and if you get a certain grade in all those gen-eds, then you’ve proven that ability,” Latham said. Raquel Caneva, sophomore in Education, agrees the basic skills tests are not the best measurements of a student’s ability. “Some students are bad at test-taking and their test scores may not accurately
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reflect their educational abilities. There is also no way to directly tell how a student’s test-taking skills can accurately predict how well they will teach,” Caneva said. The Illinois content test, which examines a student’s knowledge in the area they want to pursue, is facing criticism similar to the TAP 400. Latham said although some of the content tests have been redesigned, some are outdated. “I have heard state board folks say they need to look at (the content tests) to decide if they are testing efficiently in terms of teacher content knowledge,” Latham said. The third test and perhaps the most controversial is the edTPA. Latham defined the test as an assessment that involves a prospective teacher conducting a student evaluation at the end of their student teaching, creating lesson plans from this evaluation, videotaping the lessons and sending the video to an evaluator. This test
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costs $300. Caneva believes the real problem with this test is the cost. “Not only may these expensive tests discourage students from pursuing education, but they may actually prevent them from taking them again in order to succeed and become a teacher,” Caneva said. Latham said the edTPA does well in evaluating a student’s actual teaching ability compared to the multiple choice test previously used. However, she believes the outside evaluation isn’t necessary. She said the University’s faculty along with the supervisors and the cooperating teachers in the classroom are the experts. “They would be much better evaluators of that student’s ability to teach because they have to understand concepts of the classroom,” Latham said. However, even if the licensing process were to be reformed, Latham believes
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there is another factor causing the shortage of teachers in Illinois. “The profession has taken a hit in the public eye,” Latham said. “It really has become a place to blame and a place to lay fault. It’s constantly regulated, and teachers are held responsible for incredible test expectations of the students.” She went on to say teachers have to picket and protest just to receive a decent wage and be above the poverty line. Latham said in her perfect world, prospective teachers would go through a state-supported induction and mentoring program while getting their teaching licenses. Latham also added she would have teachers paid quadruple the amount they are currently paid. “There’s no greater honor than being a teacher and there’s no greater profession,” Latham said.
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