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THURSDAY October 23, 2014
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THE DAILY ILLINI 5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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African-American enrollment drops Admissions concerned for future student diversity
BY FARAZ MIRZA STAFF WRITER
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SONNY AN THE DAILY ILLINI
The Alma Mater statue, adorned with homecoming banner and regalia, has scratches on its eyes from vandalism that was first reported by a University employee on Friday.
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Sundiata Cha-Jua threw his hands up, gesturing to his small office in the African American Studies building. “You see this place ... this is Decrease in African-American an old house that was built in student population 1901,� Cha-Jua, associate proAfrican-American student enrollment has steadily fessor of African American Studies, said. “They’ve been declined for the Unversity over the past decade. talking about a new space for 2600 African American Studies — a building, not a house — for at least more than a decade, 2500 and there’s been very little movement in that regard.� 2400 Cha-Jua said the building seems to reflect a sentiment many African-Ameri2300 cans have on campus — that African-American-related 2200 issues aren’t a priority to the University. Over the last decade, the 2100 African-American population on campus has faced a 2000 heavy decrease. Only 356 African-American freshmen enrolled in Years the fall semester, of the 945 that were accepted into the University, according to the TOREY BUTNER THE DAILY ILLINI SOURCE: Division of Management Information Division of Management Information. YOUR VOICE “We’ve been charting it since 2006, which was a high point in terms of black student enrollment, but since 2006, there’s been a steady decline,� Cha-Jua said. The yield — the number of students that enrolled in COMPILED BY FARAZ MIRZA relation to those accepted STAFF WRITER has fallen below that of the incoming class of AfricanAmerican freshmen in fall 1968, the year “Project 500� took place. Project 500 was an initiative to boost African-American enrollment following the assassination of Martin “It might not be something “It has me asking ‘Is the Luther King Jr. The project particular that the University working to retain surpassed its goal by enrollUniversity of Illinois African-American students? ing 565 students and enacted is doing, but AfricanIs that a priority, or is it not, a benchmark goal for future years. American students are and if it’s not, then why?’ “They should never have looking for that more If we’re supposed to be a an incoming class that’s welcoming feel, and they diverse ‘Big 10’ University, smaller than Project 500,� weren’t getting that from then we should reflect Cha-Jua said. the University of Illinois. that, and we also need to Cha-Jua believes the primary reason for the decline The University is trying to look attractive to African is an increase in student do more programs to get American students.� tuition in hopes to offset a 6$&+$ '81.,1 people aware of these KVOJPS JO #VTJOFTT decrease in state funding. situations, and I feel that Corey Evans, Men of that’s a great first step.� Impact president and senior 0,&+$(/ 202/( in AHS, agreed that the TFOJPS JO -"4 increase in tuition plays a potential role in turning African-American students away. Men of Impact is a student organization that addresses “I think maybe less Africanchallenges faced by minorities on campus and helps American students have them to become more interbeen applying here, but I active members of society. “But you also have to don’t think the administration “I would say that the consider the fact that has been personally picking tuition increase is probably one of the biggest factors college rates in general less of them. It’s pretty
Scratches found on Q: What are your thoughts the decrease of Africaneyes of Alma statue onAmerican students on campus? DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT
A University employee reported on Friday afternoon that someone damaged the Alma Mater statue at the corner of Wright and Green streets. “On the Alma Mater herself, it looks like someone took a sharp object and scratched up the eyes,� University Police Detective Sgt. Tom Geis said. He added that the eyes
on one of the figures next to Alma, known as “Labor,� also had similar scratches on it. Police are reviewing the 24/7 video footage from the area and trying to find the time frame in which the act was committed. If the perpetrators are caught, they will be charged with criminal damage to state supported property, Geis said. Robin Kaler, campus
spokesperson, stated that the offender could also be subject to repercussions from the University. The Conservation Sculpture and Objects Studio, the same company that completed the conservation efforts on the Alma Mater earlier this year, is assessing the damages on the statue and will determine the repairs that need to be done, Kaler said.
Chicago Booth, UI engineering students collaborate on startups BY JOSH WINTERS STAFF WRITER
The College of Engineering is partnering with the University of Chicago’s Chicago Innovation Exchange to bring undergraduate students together to promote the development and growth of new startup companies in Illinois. “Early, the opportunity was to put together the best minds in engineering and the best minds in business between the Booth School (of Business) and the University of Illinois College of Engineering; two of the top programs in the country in those respective fi elds,� said John Flavin, CIE executive director.
The CIE announced the partnership when it launched Oct. 16. The partnership aims to build relationships between students at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and University engineering students to combine students’ talents and ideally create numerous in-state startup companies. Sunil Kumar, dean of the Booth School of Business, said in a press release that he believes the program will go a long way toward improving the climate of innovation in Illinois. “Both schools have a tremendous history of entrepreneurship and innova-
tion,� Kumar said in a press release. “Through this partnership, Booth students and faculty will have more opportunities to connect with top-tier engineering talent and an expanded network of innovators building start-ups in Illinois.� Seniors from the University and Booth will participate in a year-long course based on the Urbana campus, where they will study product design and earlyopportunity identification, as well as collaborate to potentially lay the foundation for new companies. F lav i n sa id C I E ’s
are going down and less people are going to school, so we’re just one of the subgroups that are also going down.�
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