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Wednesday May 2, 2012
The Daily Illini www.DailyIllini.com
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 141 Issue 145
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FREE
A TALK WITH EASTER
Q&A: ROBERT EASTER
Becoming president ‘just seemed like it was the thing that I needed to do’ DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT
Robert Easter, former interim chancellor, provost and vice chancellor for research, was called back to duty as presidentdesignate after the resignation of Michael Hogan. The Daily Illini editorial board got a chance to sit down with Easter, who will become president July 1, amid a stormy Tuesday afternoon.
The Daily Illini: Why did you decide to take this position and why for the period of time that you’ll be serving? Robert Easter: When
(University board of trustees chair Christopher) Kennedy asked if I could
take on this assignment, it just seemed like it was the thing that I needed to do, and I don’t know that I have, other than that. I don’t know that I have a really good explanation. He said we need to have some stability, and he said, “I would like to make the assignment permanent and not an interim, and I would like for you to stay two or three years.” And I said, “Let’s try two, and we’ll see where we are down the road.”
DI: How are we doing in getting money from the state and how might we be adjusting things just to make sure that we’re still running? RE: The campuses — this cam-
pus, Chicago and Springfield — the leadership has been very
Third-party slots on ballot hard to come by
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prudent about how they’ve spent money looking at out-year obligations. So we’re not making commitments that in a diffi cult time we wouldn’t be able to honor. And (former interim president) Stan Ikenberry, when he was here, his short time as interim, I asked the campuses to begin to be very careful stewards for the resources and make some obligations that were short-term and not tying us up for a long time. So that has prepared us for these difficult times. I don’t want to suggest there’s a lot of cash sitting around.
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More inside: Read the Daily
Illini editorial board’s opinion on the interview on Page 4A. More online: For the full
transcript from the interview with President-designate Robert Easter, visit DailyIllini.com.
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thing that you want to focus on and really accomplish during those two years? RE: I think stability, clearly, is one
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DI: Because it’s only two years that you have for this, what’s the main
of the things that we need to do, continuing to offer the quality of programs that we’ve had and having a strategy in place to do that. We need to continue to look at activities. The campus, dur-
See EASTER, Page 3A
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Calm after the storm
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BY MATT RICE STAFF WRITER
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Third party candidates hoping for a spot on the state ballot say they face an uphill battle. The varying signature requirements for established parties, as opposed to independent parties, is just one of the requirements that have caused party members and others to question the fairness of the process. “Generally speaking, Illinois election law creates what are in my opinion unreasonable hurdles for independent and third party candidates to run for office in Illinois,” said Gordy Hulten, Champaign County Clerk. “In some cases, the number of petition signatures to run for Congress as an independent or third party candidate will be up to 10 times more than is required for a Republican or Democratic party candidate.” Though Hulten is responsible for handling petitions filed for ballots in Champaign County, he said the process is similarly difficult. Hulten said a candidate from either of the established parties needs only to subMore on- mit 170 sigair: For natures to more on earn a spot third parties on on the balthe ballot, tune lot, comin to the 5 p.m. pared to the newscast on 2,741 needWPGU 107.1-FM. ed for a third-party candidate to do the same. According to the 2012 presidential delegate guide released by the Illinois State Board of Elections, a new party candidate must submit 25,000 signatures compared to only 3,000 for a Democratic or Republican candidate to appear on the ballot. “No candidate has successfully gotten on the ballot and beat the challenge, except in a redistricting year, like 40 or 50 years (ago) in Illinois,” said Phil Huckleberry, Chair of the Illinois Green Party. “It’s just that hard to get on the ballot.” To party leaders like Huckleberry, it is harder than previous election years to get the necessary signatures. “We have been a strong party here (in Illinois), but burnout is really high and signatures don’t collect themselves,” he said. “You have to get people on the street, and that’s been a real obstacle this year.” Yet, voters demand a third option on their ballots now more than ever before, said Carla Howell, executive
SADIE TEPER THE DAILY ILLINI
A view looking east from Illini Tower shows a rainbow stretching across the sky following the tornado warnings issued Tuesday. Eric Snodgrass, instructor of atmospheric sciences, storm-chased during the event. He said he would not consider Tuesday’s weather an emergency, but he appreciated the wording of the Illini-Alerts sent throughout the day. “It’s easy for me to say (it wasn’t an emergency) because I was watching the tornado,” Snodgrass said. “I saw where it was, I knew that it wasn’t going to hit campus. However, I think in my opinion it was very smart for them put out that level of an alert.” Snodgrass said the first tornado he saw was near Lincoln Avenue. The tornado would have hit campus had the storm continued to produce it.
» » » »C-U » »Bike to Work Day encourages 1st time bikers Campus Bike Project event educates riders, celebrates bicycle community BY MADDIE REHAYMEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Champaign-Urbana residents and students ditched tires for bike pedals Tuesday morning as they participated in the third annual C-U Bike to Work Day. The purpose of the event is to encourage commuters to use their bikes as transportation instead of driving a car to work or school every day. Ten bike stations were set up in locations around campus and the C-U area, where participants received free t-shirts, a light breakfast and cycling information. Students were also able to register their bikes with the campus parking department. Graduate student Sudipto Guha stopped by the bike station in front of the Alma Mater with his bike Tuesday. “It’s the fastest way to get to work,” he said. “I work in the lab, so if I have to go anywhere, I don’t have to be dependent on the bus.” Amelia Neptune, event organiz-
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See THIRD PARTY, Page 3A
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er and University sustainability specialist, said the event started in 2010, led by a woman in Champaign’s planning office. “I think she was inspired by other cities that are doing bike to work day events or bike to work week events,” she said. “This is National Bike Month… so there are lots of events going on all over the country like this one.” In addition to providing encouragement for first-time bikers, the event also celebrated ChampaignUrbana’s pre-established bike community. Volunteers from the Campus Bike Project were present at each station, educating bikers about the organization. Kai Van Horn, volunteer for the Campus Bike Project and graduate student, helped out at the station in front of the Alma Mater. He said people are more willing to ride their bikes to work or school when MELANIE CHALLBERG THE DAILY ILLINI they don’t have to do it alone. He The third annual Champaign-Urbana Bike to Work/School Day celebrates National Bike Month. Event stations, like the one pictured that was at the Alma Mater on Tuesday, were located throughout the Champaign-Urbana See BIKE TO WORK, Page 3A area for participants, who were offered a light breakfast and an opportunity to learn about local biking.
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