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THE DAILY ILLINI
MONDAY April 27, 2015
5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
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Vol. 144 Issue 113
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LEFT: The vice president spoke to University students at CRCE on Thursday about the “It’s On Us” campaign and its developments since its 2014 inception. RIGHT: Joe Biden greets students after speaking to a crowd of more than 1,500 attendees.
Alumnus returns with Biden for visit BY DECLAN HARTY MANAGING EDITOR FOR REPORTING
Stephen Spector never expected to come to campus via Air Force 2. Looking through the windows of the white and blue Boeing 757 as it glazed over the cornfi elds on its descent toward University of Illinois Willard Airport in Savoy on Thursday, Spector thought back to his graduation night from the University in 2011. After the ceremony, he packed his bags and quickly left to return home to begin working the following morning for the Barack Obama reelection campaign in Chicago. But when Spector drove off campus, he didn’t know that the next time he’d return, he would be a
part of Vice President Joe Biden’s administration, which visited the University to promote the “It’s On Us” campaign . Spector began the fi rst part of a nearly five-yearlong career that has taken him from sleeping on friends’ couches in Chicago to the Department of Education to the White House, where Spector now serves as Biden’s deputy press secretary. “It was a pretty amazing feeling coming back to my old stomping grounds,” he said. “I was really proud, I was really proud not just of the vice president for being able to come to campus, but I was also really proud of my Alma Mater for being a leader on this.” Spector said his passion
for politics came from his time as a political reporter and editor for The Daily Illini, especially covering the 2008 election . “Through writing all those stories and contacting sources, learning so much about the process, it really struck an interesting chord with me, and I really fell in love with the idea of public service and the importance of getting involved with the political system,” he said. Spector said the administration believes that the University is one of the leaders for “It’s On Us,” principally because of efforts from the student government and students on campus. More than 1,500 attendees were at Biden’s event
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0RUH RQOLQH For our video of Vice President Joe Biden’s trip to campus for the “It’s On Us” campaign, visit www.DailyIllini.com
at Campus Recreation Center East on Thursday, which cost nearly $30,000, according to Robin Kaler, campus spokeswoman . “There’s so many issues out there that deserve the attention they don’t get. Sexual assault used to be one of those,” said Matt Hill, vice president-external of the Illinois Student Senate. “(It’s On Us) is about putting the word out about how this is a problem and about how we can
STAFF WRITER
KEVIN VONGNAPHONE THE DAILY ILLINI
Jie Yang of Urbana runs the final stretch to the finish line during the seventh annual Christie Clinic Marathon at First street and St. Marys road on Saturday.
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0RUH RQOLQH For a video of the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon, visit us online at
www.DailyIllini.com that I could do it,” Holdup said. “It was good running in the rain because it made the overall race more of an experience.” Brett Schmidt, sophomore in Engineering, ran the full marathon and had less appreciation for the rain. “It was wet and cold, and during the torrential downpours, I was almost blinded,” Schmidt said. “It didn’t slow me down too much. It was just uncomfortable.” Schmidt was at the 17th mile marker when officials urged runners to seek shelter. Schmidt said he and runners around him decided that they were too far into the race to quit.
Of the $30,000, $5,000 was spent on materials that will be reused, such as the bleachers.
500
“It’s On Us” t-shirts, one of which was ironed for the Vice President
1,962
The increased amount of “It’s On Us” pledges Total amount of attendees SOURCE: ROBIN KALER, CAMPUS SPOKESWOMAN
Sarah Mowitz, president of Women of Pride, said gender-inclusiveness allows for gender fluidity and gender exploration, making people feel accepted and comfortable with their own gender. To honor its mission statement to be inclusive and value each student’s voice, opinion and identity, University Housing recently proposed a housing plan to implement gender-inclusive restrooms and floors for select residence halls starting fall 2015. Allen 1 North, one wing of the first floor of Allen Hall and the first floor of Saunders Hall, located in Pennsylvania
Avenue Residence hall, will incorporate gender-inclusive restrooms and floors, said Kirsten Ruby, associate director of housing for communications and marketing. “We conducted focus groups, surveys, hall meetings and we had a lot of feedback from students that they liked Allen Hall becoming the pioneer for this type of community and so we’re trying it out on one wing on the first floor,” Ruby said. Mowitz, senior in FAA, said the new plan is part of the queer movement on campus, which attempts to address issues transgender students face by including
gender-neutral bathrooms and residence halls. She also said she understands why students may be uncomfortable with genderneutrality, but it is important for students to know what it means to be gender neutral and this gender-inclusive plan will be a form of education. “I think to be pro genderneutral living is to — usually — have kind of a comprehensive understanding of (being transgender) and to truly understand what it means to be a student that lives outside the gender bina-
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‘It’s On Us’ to end Satisfy salty, sexual assault sweet cravings The Editorial Board reacts to Joe Biden’s ‘It’s On Us’ speech
SEE SPECTOR | 3A
BY JANE LEE
Torrential downpours and cold weather did not stop runners from participating in the seventh annual Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon early Saturday morning, despite advice to halt the race because of the inclement weather. Participants in both the full and half marathon race began running in waves around 7 a.m., only to have the remainder of the race cancelled at 10:15 a.m. due to lightning in the area. There were approximately 15,610 individuals participating in the 5K, half marathon and full marathon, according to the marathon’s website. Rick Atterberry, public information officer for the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency, was stationed at the emergency operations post in Urbana during the race, and said after consulting with
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Allen Hall to implement first gender-inclusive dorm features
the National Weather Service, organizers decided to recommend runners seek immediate shelter. “There was lightning in the area, and when there is lightning in the area you have no choice,” Atterberry said. “We were concerned for the safety of runners, their families and people working the race.” Atterberry said some runners preferred to fi nish the race, but officials notifi ed them that they would be running at their own risk. It took officials an hour and a half to pick up almost 300 runners along the course who decided to seek shelter. Twenty-five lightning strikes were recorded in the area, according to the marathon’s website. Matthew Holdup, junior in Engineering, who participated in the half marathon said he still enjoyed the race, despite the weather. “I ran to prove to myself
BY JESSIE WEBSTER
state or tuition money was used.
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Weather shortens marathon Annual marathon raised $25,000 in proceeds for 16 charities
Adding up a Vice President’s trip total amount spent on the Vice $30K The President’s visit to the University. No
YOUR VOICE
Q: How do you feel about gender-inclusive floors/bathrooms? COMPILED BY JANE LEE STAFF WRITER
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“I think that’s very nice that they’re actually going out and doing that and implementing it. I’ve also heard some people talk SEE MARATHON | 3A about how maybe that’s good that they’re doing that, but also, (housing) might SPORTS just stop at that and say ‘We already have options for gender-inclusiveness, so we don’t have to do anything more than that.’ Hopefully, Victory marks team’s they can still expand after, sixth conference title they’ve done the bathrooms in seven seasons on the floor.”
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“I think actually besides Allen, PAR is also going to have it. I’m actually going to be an RA next year, so I think it’ll be a really good step forward and just opening conversations about what gender is and what it means to be inclusive on campus in different ways.”
“I think it’s a great idea. I think it would be an adjustment for some people. I think some people might not like it, but I think those concerns are outweighed by the benefits that it would have for a variety of people, most notably, students that are trans.”
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