Guest Column: GEO leaders explain why they are considering striking OPINIONS, 4A
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The Daily Illini
Friday October 12, 2012
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Vol. 142 Issue 35
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GEO keeps open possibility of going on strike BY LAUREN ROHR STAFF WRITER
Frustrated with the progress of negotiations, the Graduate Employees’ Organization is opening the door to the possibility of a strike. Organization members met Thursday night to discuss the possibility of fi ling a notice of intent to strike to the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. With 173 of 175 members in favor, the GEO decided
to fi le the paperwork. Monte Beaty, member of the GEO bargaining team, said the act of fi ling the notice is a basic step in the bargaining process. It does not mean graduate employees will actually go on strike, but it gives them the option to do so in the future. “All this means is that we’re putting the administration on notice that at some point in the future, we may have a second vote, which would move forward
a work action (strike),” Beaty said. Before legally instituting a strike, the IELRB requires labor unions to fi le this paperwork, according to the board’s administrative code. The code also states that the graduate employees cannot engage in a strike until 10 days after they give the paperwork to the University, a regional superintendent and the IELRB. The GEO has been in negotiation with the University regard-
ing a new contract for months, as the organization’s 2009 contract expired Aug. 16. GEO bargaining members recently requested a state mediator to act as a communicator between the parties after University administrators denied the GEO’s wish to fi le a joint request for mediation. Though Beaty said the IELRB told the GEO on Thursday they were moving forward with the organization’s unilateral request for mediation, the University had
since changed its mind. The University agreed to fi le the joint request for mediation to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. “It makes things a lot easier going forward if we both agree to bringing this third-party communicator to help us move forward in the process of negotiation to get some of these really hard issues off the table,” Beaty said. Stephanie Seawell, GEO communications officer, said she
hopes a mediator will help to improve the organization’s communication with the University. She said the GEO has met with administrators 19 times, but the two parties have yet to agree on any important issues, such as wages, healthcare and tuition waivers. “We need (the University) to understand that we’re serious. We have to talk about tuition
See GEO, Page 3A
CLAIRE EVERETT THE DAILY ILLINI
Betty Johnson, left, Champaign resident, and Claire Johnson, center, farmhand and University graduate, help Samra Matin, sophomore in LAS, decide what produce to select at the Student Sustainable Farm's last farmstand on the Quad on Thursday.
Last produce of summer sold on Quad at farmstand BY CLAIRE EVERETT STAFF WRITER
It’s out with the warm-season vegetables and in with the cold for the Student Sustainable Farm. On Thursday, the farm held its final farmstand of the year on the Quad. The produce was displayed on a folding farmstand, a device designed by University architecture students. It made its debut at the beginning of this harvest season. University graduate and current farmhand Claire Johnson said taking down the stand for the last time made her sad. “This was my favorite day of the week — to come out on the Quad, interact with people and tell them about the sustainable farm and the organic food they’re getting,” Johnson said. She joked, “I might cry later.” Farm workers did one last harvest this week and then mowed over where the warm-season crops were. They harvested the last of the tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, summer squash, melons and pumpkins. “These are the dregs of the tomatoes,” said Jenny Goodwine, farmhand and University graduate, as she surveyed the farmstand. “Now we’re harvesting the hardier greens like kale, collards, chard and fall vegetables.” Despite the drought, the farm has had a successful season because of its drip irrigation system that replenished the soil with water. Johnson said everything “seemed pretty plentiful” until the frost last week. “In August and earlier September we were
ZOE GRANT THE DAILY ILLINI
Zahra Siddiqui, left, sophomore in LAS, explains the history and meaning behind the hijab to Jett Levin, freshman in LAS, on the Quad as part of a series of events sponsored by the UIUC Muslim Students Association to celebrate Islamic Awareness Week 2012.
Muslims reveal why they conceal ‘Wear a Hijab Day’ sheds light on meaning of the head scarf BY MADDIE REHAYEM STAFF WRITER
Hijabs are more to Muslim women than an observation of faith. This was the message Muslim students shared Thursday with University students who tried on the hijabs, or head scarves. As part of Islam Awareness Week, the Muslim Student Asso-
ciation hosted “Wear a Hijab Day” at which members distributed pink hijabs in front of the Illini Union, so students could experience a day wearing the head scarves. Zahra Siddiqui, member of the MSA and sophomore in LAS, said many of the students trying on hijabs did so because they didn’t know that they could.
“It’s for everyone,” she said. “In a lot of faiths and cultures (not just Islam), women do wear a scarf to cover themselves for modesty purposes.” Siddiqui and other MSA members spent the afternoon pinning hijabs on students and educating them on what it means to wear one. “In this day and age where women are constantly being sexually objectified, it’s like my way of standing up to that and saying I’m more than just a physical body,” she said. “That’s what hijab means to me, and, of course, it’s a commandment of my lord, and I feel proud
representing my faith in that way.” Students took part in the event regardless of faith. Debbie Newcomb, junior in LAS, said she heard about the event through an Arabic class. Newcomb is a Christian and said she tried a hijab at the event because she wanted to experience the culture. “I didn’t know that it would fit so tight,” she said. Newcomb said she knew people might stare at her while she wore the hijab. “It’s such a different concept compared with the Western con-
See ISLAM WEEK, Page 3A
See FARMSTAND, Page 3A
Local currency initiative smiles on community BY JANELLE O’DEA CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Paying for something with a Smile instead of a dollar may sound too good to be true. UC Smiles, a new local currency program, will launch as a six-month pilot program Nov. 1 and aims to boost the community economy, strengthen area culture and encourage local shopping, according to a news release. Smiles are equal to $1 and are offered in increments of one, fi ve and 20 . Smiles can be exchanged for dollars at local businesses International Galleries, 118 Lincoln Square Mall, or Strawberry Fields, 306 W. Springfield Ave. Seonmi Kim , one of the executive directors of UC Smiles and graduate
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student, had been researching alternative economic approaches, including local currency movements, and wanted to bring the idea to Champaign-Urbana. “Based on my research and experiences, I learned that this town had perfect conditions for a local currency movement,” Kim said. “Because of the size of the community, it is not too big or too small; it is just the appropriate size to get a sense of community.” The project is being funded by grants from the University’s Office of Public Engagement and Focal Point. The money will be used for printing costs and reimbursing businesses who accept UC Smiles. “The purpose of this whole thing is education (and) trying to make people
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aware of what happens when you spend your dollars,” said Tracy Satterthwaite, executive director of public relations. “At big box stores, the money goes into corporate hands ... (which) are already rich.” Jack Wallace is the general manager at Strawberry Fields, one of more than 30 businesses accepting UC Smiles. “Tracy (Satterthwaite) just brought us a great proposal,” Wallace said. “We thought, ‘Let’s get on board with it and just see how it works.’ It’s important to keep the money in the community.” The benefits of UC Smiles have persuaded businesses such as Cool Cab, Siam Terrace and Sweet Dreams Mattress
See UC SMILES, Page 3A
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ROCHELLE WILSON THE DAILY ILLINI
Seonmi Kim, right, founder of UC Smiles, shows off the designs for the local currency at a press conference at Cafe Piato on Monday.
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