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The Daily Illini
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The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
Vol. 141 Issue 118
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Thousands fill Huff Hall to see Paul Republican candidate stresses foreign policy DISNEY CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIES
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BY TAYLOR GOLDENSTEIN ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
More than 5,000 students came out in support for U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) Wednesday night at Huff Hall. Though the event was originally scheduled to be held in Foellinger Auditorium, some students were still left without a seat by the time of the event’s start. “Some people get discouraged because they say ... 51 percent of the vote, you have to have it, but it isn’t true,” Paul said. “What you need is an irate and tireless minority.” The representative was brought to the University in large part because of U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson, R-15, who voted absentee for Paul. Johnson and Paul have shared “a long standing relationship built on business and friendship” for about 12 years, Johnson said. “I think it’s important ... our part of the state knows what he offers and what he brings to America, so this is an opportunity to do that in a personal way,” Johnson said. Paul mainly stressed that the government needs to have a smaller role so that the people can “get their liberty back.” “We have a good constitution,” he said. “We just need to use it every once in a while.” One of his main talking points was the country’s foreign policy in terms of military involvement. He said he wants to end all foreign wars and bring all troops home. “Since World War II ... think of how many trillions of dollars have been wasted. In the past 10 years, 4 trillion dollars added to our debt for foreign expenditures,” he said. Paul also pointed to the Stop Online Piracy Act, which received major backlash from the public. He used this as an example of Americans standing up for their privacy rights.
See PAUL, Page 3A
MELISSA MCCABE THE DAILY ILLINI
Republican presidential candidate U.S. Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) speaks to a large crowd of supporters at Huff Hall on Wednesday. Paul was introduced by U.S. Representative Tim Johnson (R-IL), who serves as a representative for the 15th Congressional District of Illinois, which includes Champaign County.
Pileski plans to utilize experiences in new role
Residents listen to Congress hopefuls debate
Student president preps for trustee position BY SAFIA KAZI STAFF WRITER
Student body president David Pileski will soon step down as the leader of the student senate to become the campus’ student trustee. On March 8, Pileski, junior in FAA, sat in the Illinois Student Senate president’s office refreshing the election results page every few minutes to see if the results of the student election had been posted. By 4:30 p.m., the results were out: Pileski had been elected as the new student trustee. Pileski, who began thinking about running for trustee his sophomore year, said he has enjoyed being student body president but wants to give someone else a chance to hold that title. “It does a disservice to the senate as a whole and the campus if someone holds the role hostage,” he said. “And for me, running for trustee and winning is a way to pursue what I’m passionate about.” He said the lessons he learned from his presidency will carry on into his role as
student trustee. Aside from understanding how bureaucracy functions, Pileski said he has built many relationships as president that will be beneficial as trustee. “I have built a relationship with Chancellor (Phyllis) Wise,” he said. “I’ve also built relationships with the student community. It really helps having support from students.” While his experience as student body president may help him, he said being student trustee and being student senate president are different. “When I became student body president, I had already been on senate for a year. But with the Board of Trustees, you really have no idea what to expect while you’re there,” he said. “But I’m always ready for a challenge. It’s exciting to start something new.” Pileski said he does not have much time as trustee, so he wants to begin working as soon as he can. He said he will hold small focus groups after spring break,
Reform a focus of both candidates BY KLAUDIA DUKALA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
du students do not have a local place to worship or celebrate holidays, Dharma said. A local temple would be more than just that; it would
Champaign-Urbana residents heard from two Democratic candidates Wednesday who will attempt to unseat U.S. Rep. Tim Johnson (R-15) in the newly remapped 13th district. Candidates David Gill, an emergency room physician from Bloomington, Ill., and Matt Goetten, Greene GILL County State’s Attorney, discussed various issues affecting the district at a debate held in the WILL-TV studio in Urbana. The debate, a week away from Illinois’ primary, was sponsored by Illinois Public Media in collaboration with the League of Women Voters. I l l i noi s P ubl ic Media’s Jim Meadows led the debate while Patrick Yeagle, staff writer for the Illinois Times in Springfield, Allison Pet- GOETTEN ty, a reporter for the Decatur Herald & Review and The Daily Illini’s editor-in-chief, Jill Disis, posed questions for the candidates. The debate was proposed by the League of Women Voters of Illinois’ board and Jan Czarnik, its executive director. It was held in order to educate voters, to reach out to the younger generation by including college students in the debate and to spread awareness of the league through partnering television stations. Gill, taking his fourth shot at unseating Johnson, discussed the changes the 13th district would witness if he was to successfully defeat Johnson this fall. “I’d like to see steps taken to restore the health of this planet; I’d like to see appropriate health care reform — I think that we haven’t seen that yet — and I’d like to see a return to some ethics within the government,” Gill said after the debate. Goetten based his qualifications for congressman on his past experiences.
See HINDU TEMPLE, Page 3A
See DEBATE, Page 3A
PORTRAIT BY JOSEPH LEE THE DAILY ILLINI
before his term as trustee even begins on July 1. One of Pileski’s first goals is to work on creating a student vision for the University. Because students are only here for four years, Pileski said creating a mission statement by students for the University is crucial. “There has never been a united student vision for the University,” he said.
“It’s important to bridge student leaders from different communities ... and really prepare a comprehensive thing for University administration to look at. The University needs to be engaged in long-term discussions and planning.” Pileski’s roommate Katie Kilbridge, who has known him for more than five
See PILESKI, Page 3A
Champaign sets date to break ground on Hindu temple Construction will begin in April, completed in fall BY THOMAS THOREN STAFF WRITER
Champaign will feature the only Hindu temple within a 100-mile radius before the end of the year. After fi ve years of fundraising — since purchasing land near Mattis Avenue and Hensley Road in 2007 — the Hindu Temple and Cultural Society of Central Illinois has raised enough money to move forward with the temple’s construction, said Pradeep Khanna , vice president of the temple. “We can start and complete construction this year,” he said. “It is good to fi nally see it take off.”
INSIDE
The project will begin construction in April, with an expected completion date for the fi rst phase in the fall. This phase will include the temple and a small library, as well as a parking lot and landscaping for a total area of about 5,000 square feet. The second phase — a 1,500 square foot expansion designed to house temple statues — will fi nish in 2013. Currently, the local Hindu community travels to one of three Hindu temples, ranging from 100 miles to 150 miles away, said Kiran Topudurti , president of the temple. “Most people go to Aurora and Lemont ... generally on a weekly basis,” he said. These two temples — the Sri Venkateswara Temple of Greater Chicago and The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago, respectively — are in addition to the Hindu Temple of Central Illinois, located about 100 miles away in Peoria.
The local temple project — including land acquisition and both phases — will cost approximately $1.7 million. One way the temple has come up with the necessary money is through its annual fundraising dinner. This year’s installation is on Saturday, March 17 at 6 p.m. in the I-Hotel. Khanna said one-third of the ticket revenue will fund the dinner with the remaining two-thirds going directly toward funding the temple. Of the land plot’s 40 acres, the temple and its parking lot will occupy only about five acres, Khanna said. The remaining land will be contracted out to a farmer who will maintain it as soybean and corn fields. This land parcel was selected because of its proximity to the University along with most of the served population, Topudurti said. Many University students are only able to visit a tem-
Illinois Hindu temples nearest to Champaign area Shown are three of the nearest Hindu temples to Champaign. Some local residents travel to these temples on a weekly basis. Construction of a Champaign Hindu temple will begin in April. The temple will be located at Mattis Avenue and Hensley Road.
Aurora
150 miles away Sri Venkateswara Temple of Greater Chicago
Lemont
125 miles away The Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago
Peoria
100 miles away Hindu Temple of Central Illinois
Champaign
Hindu Temple and Cultural Society of Central Illinois
Source: Kiran Topudurti, president of the Hindu Temple and Cultural Society of Central Illinois SHANNON LANCOR Assistant Design Editor
ple when they return home, said Laxmi Shastry, president of the Hindu registered student organization and junior in LAS, Dharma. There is “a big vacuum that we found in this community” because Hin-
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