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Experiencing the American dream

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WEDNESDAY September 10, 2014

LIFE & CULTURE, 8A

THE DAILY ILLINI 5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

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Vol. 143 Issue 011

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Salaita and his allies fight for reinstatement BY JOSH WINTERS STAFF WRITER

Despite recent controversy, Salaita confirmed at a press conference Tuesday that he still wants to pursue a teaching position at the University. Hundreds of Salaita supporters fi lled the YMCA, 1001 S. Wright St., where Salaita made his first public statement. “I reiterate the demand that the University recognize the importance of respecting the faculty’s hiring decision and reinstate me,” Salaita said. When asked why he would want to be reinstated to the University, Salaita addressed his supporters, “the answer is in this room.” On Thursday, Sept. 4, Chancellor Phyllis Wise

HASAN KHALID THE DAILY ILLINI

Students gathered in the pouring rain on the Quad at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday bearing #ReinstateSalaita stickers to support the reinstatement of Salaita’s job offer in the American Indian Studies program.

Salaita supporters walk out Students walk out of class to support professor BY JOSH WINTERS STAFF WRITER

Demonstrators huddled together under umbrellas as heavy rain poured down. Roughly 150 students and faculty gathered on the Quad on Tuesday, Sept. 9 to protest Steven Salaita’s rescinded job offer for the American Indian Studies program. Many

had taped paper reading “UIUCStudents4Salaita,” over their mouths and held signs. Student protestors encouraged others to walk out of their classes at 11:30 a.m. and join together on the Quad. After the Board of Trustees meeting on Thursday, Sept. 11, they plan to occupy Chancellor Phyllis Wise’s office until Salaita is reinstated. Robert Warrior, director of the AIS program, spoke to Salaita supporters, expressing his frustration with the Chancellor’s decision.

“She never asked me what kind of teacher I had found him to be,” Warrior said. “She had decided based on some email messages...what kind of person that he would be, and I’m afraid that this is the kind of thinking that is getting us into trouble.” Efadul Huq, graduate student in Urban Planning, expressed concern that the decision regarding Salaita threatens academic freedom. “If you’re not able to discuss issues that are contentious and ... express viewpoints ... that the dominant class may feel is disrespect-

ful towards them, then the university loses its place as a space where we can constructively have a dialogue about different viewpoints,” said Huq. When the speakers had finished addressing the protestors, the crowd marched to the University YMCA, where Salaita made his first public statement since receiving an email on Aug. 1 from Wise, informing him that his position would not be forwarded to the Board.

Josh can be reached at jjwinte2@dailyillini.com.

0RUH RQOLQH For more Salaita coverage including videos and photos, visit us online at

www.DailyIllini.com told College of Media faculty that there is no chance he will teach on campus. Anand Swaminathan, an attorney representing Salaita, said that if the board does not approve Salaita, he is prepared to pursue legal action. When asked, Swaminathan said at the moment Salaita was not considering a fi nancial settlement from the University. “(Salaita’s) goal is to be reinstated at the University,” he said. Last week, Wise said

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» » » » » SEE SALAITA | 3A

HASAN KHALID THE DAILY ILLINI

Steven Salaita spoke for the first time since the University rescinded his job offer at the YMCA on Tuesday. Hundreds of people gathered, chanted and cheered as Salaita spoke on the matter.

UI 42nd in U.S. News list UIUC ranked first in civil, bio engineering

Inspiring cleaner water

DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT

FOLAKE OSIBODU THE DAILY ILLINI

Dr. Gunaratna Kuttuva Rajarao of the Royal Institute of Technology speaks to a group about water and wastewater treatment during the Inspire in Africa workshop at the Illini Union on Tuesday.

The University is now ranked 42nd, moving down one spot from last year, in the U.S. News & World Report’s National University ranking for 2015. The University is in a four-way tie, sharing the position with Boston University, Northeastern University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of California-Irvine. Last year, the University was ranked 41st in a six-way tie with Boston University, Lehigh University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of California-Santa Barbara and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In the category of public schools, the University retained its rank of

U.S News undergraduate ranking of the University through the years

2009

2015

2008

2014

2007

2013

2006

2012

*Indicates a tie + indicates that the University moved up in ranking - indicates that the University moved down in ranking = indicates the University did not change in ranking

National: 42* (-) Public: 11* (=)

National: 41* (+) Public: 11* (+)

National: 46* (-) Public: 13* (=)

National: 45* (+) Public: 13* (+)

2011

National: 47* (-) Public: 15* (-)

2010

National: 39 (+) Public: 9 (+)

National: 40 (-) Public: 10 (-)

National: 38* (+) Public: 8* (+)

National: 41 (+) Public: 10 (+)

National: 42 (-) Public: 11 (-)

SEE RANKINGS | 3A

SOURCE: U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORTS HISTORICAL UNDERGRADUATE RANKINGS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Durbin endorses education benefits for veterans BY ALEX SWANSON STAFF WRITER

Some veterans in Illinois who want to attend college are having difficulty accessing their full state and federal benefits in order to pay for their education. But that may soon change. Sen. Dick Durbin recently sent a letter to the Department of Veterans Affairs to express his support for a state of Illinois waiver request that could allow veterans to more fully access their educational benefits. The waiver request was submitted by the Illinois Stu-

DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS

INSIDE

dent Assistance Commission (ISAC), the Illinois Department of Veterans’ Affairs and the Illinois Department of Military Affairs. If approved, the waiver would allow veterans to decide whether to apply state or federal educational benefits for college and when to do so, based on their educational goals. The waiver would take effect on July 1, 2015, according to ISAC. Jay Jerman, University alumnus, served in the United States Army between 2005 and 2008, and said that veteran educational benefits are

qualify » » » »ToGrant, »youformust: »the Illinois Veterans

0RUH LQVLGH Turn

to Page 6A for our editorial board’s opinion on the GI bill.

what allowed him to attend the University. “Any benefit for veterans regarding college is always going to increase accessibility. That’s the reason I was able to go to college,” he said. “Otherwise, if there had been no benefits at all, state or federal, I would not have been able to go without incurring a lot of debt.”

» » » » »

Q Live

in Illinois upon enlistment to Illinois within six months of honorable discharge Q Usually serve one year of active duty Q Return

To qualify for the Post-9/11 GI Bill, you must:

Q Have served at least 90 days of active duty after 9/10/01, OR Q Have served at least 30 days of active duty, before being discharged for a service-related disability,

» »

after Sept. 10, 2001

Eligibility for Post-9/11 GI Bill:

90 days — six months of active duty: 40% Q Six — 12 months: 50% Q 12 — 18 months: 60% Q 18 — 24 months: 70% Q 24 — 30 months: 80% Q 30 — 36 months: 90% Q At least 30 days, before being discharged for a service-related disability: 100% Q At least 36 months: 100% Q

SEE VETERANS | 3A

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