INSIDE The Editorial Board shares strengths and weaknesses of student trustee candidates. Page 4A
THE DAILY ILLINI
MONDAY March 2, 2015
5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 144 Issue 85
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Black activists call for more UI diversity University in 1968. Miller said this data shows a need for a more welcoming balance in racial diversity. The activists feel Wise is not fulfilling her duties as chancellor and should increase efforts to help the local African-American community seek opportunities at the University. “The University is very innovative to bring the brightest minds together,” said Robin Kaler, University spokeswoman. “To say that we’re not doing that (trying to increase diversity at the University) is inaccurate.” Townsend and Miller also discussed the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center, its “deplorable conditions,” and the lack of proper safety evaluations for the center. “Soon we won’t have a need for an African-American studies or African American Cultural Center because we won’t have any African-American students,” Townsend said. The conference wasn’t just about diversity, or the lack
BY DARRAH PERRYMAN ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR
SONNY AN THE DAILY ILLINI
Tyler Hedlund, graduate in LAS, smiles as he introduces the whipspider on his face to curious spectators at Foellinger Auditorium on Friday.
Bugging out with creepy crawlers Dept. of entomology holds 32nd annual Insect Fear Film Festival BY LIYUAN YANG STAFF WRITER
Crickets hopped from hand to hand, and spiders crawled across students’ faces this Saturday at the department of entomology’s
Students, staff support south route Ballot to vote on new bus options BY CHARLOTTE COLLINS STAFF WRITER
C l i n ic a l pr ofe s s or Michael Biehl said he constantly has students come to his class late because of the far distance of the College of Veterinary Medicine from the Main Quad. A typical ChampaignUrbana Mass Transit District bus makes more than a few stops throughout campus and short delays, traffic jams or changed routes can add up by the time students reach the final stop: the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Illinois Student Senate is trying to give students more traveling options. The student senate passed a resolution at its Feb. 18 meeting, adding two questions onto the spring student referendum. The first question aims to renew CUMTD’s service until 2018. Students would pay a $2 increase in their student fees, increasing $1 in the 2016-2017 academic year and $1 in 2017-2018. The second question aims to improve service to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Florida Avenue Residence Hall and Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Hall by splitting the 13 Silver bus line to offer a more direct route. Biehl spoke during public comment, stating a line created specifically with VetMed students in mind could help expedite travel and help keep the buses from being as crowded. “We have worked with MTD very closely and they’ve tried, but they’ve done about all they can do,”
LIFE & CULTURE
HackIllinois gathers hackers
32nd annual Insect Fear Film Festival. Community members of all ages gathered in Foellinger Auditorium for the event. Beyond the films, the festival included face
Student referendum to be held from March 4 to 5
• Vote online at: vote. illinois.edu • Results will be posted on March 6 on the CSEC website Questions included on the ballot: • Renewing the Student Cultural Programming Fee for up to four years • The fee currently stands at $2.58 each fall and spring semester • SCPF raises cultural awareness and promotes an inclusive community seeking funding • Renewing the Students for Equal Access to Learning Fund for up to four years • The fee currently stands at $5.20 each fall and spring semester • The fund is a fee that contributes to financial aid going to students who qualify • Renewing the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District bus service until 2018 • The fee will increase $1 from 2016 to 2017 and $1 from 2017 to 2018 • Creating an additional bus route to the College of Veterinary Medicine SOURCE: CAMPUS STUDENT ELECTION COMMISSION
Biehl said. “The end of the silver line is frequently late to our location or sometimes when they get there they’re totally filled by the time they get to us, and they have to wait for the next
SEE CUMTD | 3A
LIFE & CULTURE
painting, insect balloon animals, an insect petting zoo, an insect art contest, a raffle and a Bugscope. This year’s festival focused on the theme of female entomologists, said May Berenbaum, entomology department head and founder of the festival. Barenbaum was recently highlighted as a wom-
an who has acheived great success in the field when she was presented with the National Medal of Science in November for her research on insects. “Over the years, the image of the female entomologists changed from lab assistants who are obsessed
SEE INSECTS | 3A
Sterrett, McClinton compete for position in March 5 election BY ABIGALE SVOBODA STAFF WRITER
Charlie Sterrett and Jaylin McClinton participated Thursday night in a debate for student trustee held in
students and faculty, with faculty overwhelmingly Caucasian.
2.37%
0.10%
Charlie Sterrett
Jaylin McClinton
Junior in political science with a minor in informatics and a concentration in economics • Vision: for the University to increase program optimization and for the proposed college of medicine to become a reality • On budget cuts: the University could “streamline operations at the administrative level” and focus on redistribution of funding • On tuition: “I think if we’re able to get more MAP grants from the state, more Pell grants from the federal level, we’ll be able to allocate that financial aid provided for needbased students ... I think it’s romantic to think that tuition would be able to freeze without affecting the quality of education and research opportunities here.”
OPINIONS
Junior in political science with a pre-law focus • Vision: for the University system to better collaborate between the three campuses • On budget cuts: the University needs to look at where funding goes across the board and ensure that taxpayer dollars are going to the right places • On tuition: “If (tuition) continues to increase, we won’t be able to make it accessible for middle-class families. I myself mentioned that I’m a first-generation college student, so coming here wasn’t an easy thing… I’m happy about tuition freeze, and I think it needs to be freezed for ten years, and, quite frankly, I think it should be lowered.”
SPORTS
Track & Field Big Ten results
Columnist Thomas says inclusiveness can be taught more effectively.
Men’s team took 2nd, women’s team took 10th, with several top finishes.
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INSIDE
DARRAH PERRYMAN THE DAILY ILLINI
Martel Miller and Terry Townsend discuss the letter they wrote the Illini Union. Elections to the Board of Trustees requesting that Chancellor Phyllis for the position will take Wise’s employment contract not be renewed. place March 5, and the new term will begin July 1. You Diversity at Illinois can cast your vote at: vote. Caucasians make up the largest demographic for both illinois.edu
The 36-hour hacking Tabriz discusses her contest brought 900 experiences in light hackers to UI. of National Women’s History Month.
DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS
SEE DIVERSITY | 3A
Student trustees debate tuition, cuts
UI alumna talks IConnect lacks gender in STEM effectiveness
PAGE 6A
Terry Townsend and Martel Miller are tired of not being heard. The black Champaign activists recently went public with a letter addressed to the Board of Trustees, requesting that Chancellor Phyllis Wise’s employment contract not be renewed. On Friday, the pair expressed their disappointment in how Wise has handled issues related to African-Americans on campus and in the community. Townsend and Miller discussed the issues at a 4 p.m. press conference held in the University YMCA’s Latzer Hall. In their letter, Miller and alumnus Townsend examined the demographics of the University. According to the Division of Management Information, 4.8 percent of all University students are African-American, whereas 22.38 percent are international students. This year’s freshmen class had 356 African-Americans students, which is less than when Project 500 was enforced at the
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0.99%
Multiracial: 985
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander: 41
Unknown: 413
22.38%
International: 9,286
0.08%
Student enrollment as of Spring 2015
Native American: 35
7.68% Hispanic: 3,189
4.84%
13.67%
AfricanAmerican: 2,009
0.08%
Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander: 2
0.34%
0.61%
Multiracial, Underrepresented: 16
AmericanIndian/ Alaskan Native: 9
AsianAmerican: 5,673
0.46%
Multiracial, other: 12
5.38%
International: 141
4.46%
70.93%
Hispanic: 117
4.39%
AfricanAmerican: 115
1.26% Unknown: 33
Caucasian: 1,859
Faculty enrollment as of Fall 2014
12.09%
AsianAmerican: 317
SOURCE: Division of Management Information
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47.87%
Caucasian: 19,866
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