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THE DAILY ILLINI
THURSDAY April 4, 2019
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 148 Issue 53
Climate change affects Midwest BY OLIVIA WELSHANS STAFF WRITER
A team of Midwestern experts led by a University professor has released a report about the threat climate change poses for the Great Lakes region. “Changes to climate are having a huge impact on our pocket books — on our lives — and it is important people recognize that,” said Donald Wuebbles, professor in LAS and team leader. The Great Lakes region includes portions of eight U.S. states: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, as well as the Canadian province of Ontario. The region is home to over 34 million people and supports one of the world’s largest economies, housing industries such as fishing, tourism, agriculture and industrial manufacturing, all of which will be affected by climate change, according to the report. Wuebbles was asked by the Environmental Law and Policy Center and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs to lead the team of experts from the Great Lakes region to produce the report. Earth scientists, atmospheric scientists, biologists, hydrologists, engineers and other experts contributed to the report. Wuebbles said their work mainly meant to look at the U.S. portion of the Great Lakes region, but two Canadian scientists were also involved. Some of the threats detailed in the report include increased air temperatures, heavy precipitation and flooding, extreme weather and decreased crop yields. Wuebbles said a 20 percent decrease in corn and soybean yields could be seen by mid-century. According to the report, precipitation could rise by 10 to 40 percent, overloading water treatment infrastructure, increasing sewer overflows and the quantity of waterborne viruses flowing into streams, rivers and Lake Michigan. People living in urban areas, like Chicago, will SEE MIDWEST | 3A
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Features: Students showcase talent at Research Park’s Tech Nest PAGE 4A
Sports: Kovacevic balances business, tennis, remains undefeated PAGE 3B
BRIAN BAUER THE DAILY ILLINI
Students and other community members gather on the Main Quad for a vigil honoring the New Zealand shooting victims on March 28. The event featured many speakers from the Muslim community and the University.
Vigil commemorates victims BY GRACE MALONEY STAFF WRITER
News of the terror attacks on two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 15, killing 50 people who were attending weekly Friday prayer, did not take long to reach the University community. Muslim groups all around the University community came together on March 28, two weeks after the attacks, for a solidarity vigil at Anniversary Plaza outside the Illini Union to commemorate and pray for the victims and their families. Marihah Muhsinah was one of the speakers at the vigil. Muhsinah, sophomore in LAS and social media chair for the Underrepresented Muslims and Minorities
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nah was one of the speakers at the vigil. “For the vigil, one thing we had is we printed out the names and pictures of all the victims and little stories about them,” said Aminah Bilal, senior in LAS and secretary of the Muslim Student Association. “They had a kid, this is how old they were, they were a professor or something or a doctor. When I was reading them I was like, ‘Wow these people are actual people,’ obviously, as anyone is, like you and me.” Despite the pouring rain during the second half of the vigil, Bilal said the turnout was great. “Even the chancellor and his wife were able to come,” Bilal said. “We also had the
campus police chief make an appearance and the vice chancellor.” Bilal said it was nice to see the University make a statement and show Muslim students on campus they are supporting them, especially in tragic events such as this shooting. Seeing the University’s support helped her feel safe as a student as well. “I thought it was very important that we come together as a community, acknowledge the tragedy that happened and the very particular way that certain individuals, particularly people that are Muslim, were targeted in a very intentional way,” said Ross Wantland, director of Diversity and Social Justice Education and a speaker at the
vigil. Wantland said the first thing people should do is listen to what their Muslim friends might need at this time. “It’s such a massive tragedy that sometimes we don't realize the ways that that’s going to impact everyone day to day, even though we’re across the globe from New Zealand. So just even asking, ‘How are you doing?’ and checking in with people (can be helpful),” Wantland said. Following the New Zealand attacks, some organizations, such as the Central Illinois Mosque and Islamic Center in Urbana, initiated extra safety measures. SEE VIGIL | 3A
GEO petitions against UI support for ICE BY DANIEL RENTERIA STAFF WRITER
On March 10, the Graduate Employees’ Organization Solidarity Committee shared on their Facebook page a petition calling for the University to end their support for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol on the basis of these organization’s “racist immigration policies.” The shared petition is directed specifically to the Career Center, Student Affairs and the Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute. The petition references a National Public Radio report on documents collected by the American Civil Liberties Union, which exposed how migrants were abused physically, sexually and psychologically by the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. According to the petition, “The University of Illinois Career Services and Student Affairs should stop hosting job postings for the Border Patrol and for all other agencies involved in the abuse of migrants. In addition, (UI) should cease partnering with the (Department of Homeland Security) and providing research and technological support
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Advocates, said she clearly remembers the Friday morning she found out what happened. “It hit me hard because we have a mosque here very close to campus, so I always go to Friday prayers,” Muhsinah said. “So the thought that this could have happened to me, or this could have happened to anyone in my family who goes to the mosque every Friday to pray, it kind of gets you in a way that you don’t expect.” Muslim groups all around the University community came together on March 28, two weeks after the attacks, for a solidarity vigil at Anniversary Plaza outside the Illini Union to commemorate and pray for the victims and their families. Muhsi-
SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF CHANGE.ORG
A screenshot of GEO’s petition against ICE on change.org.
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