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The Daily Illini
Friday November 2, 2012
www.DailyIllini.com
The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Vol. 142 Issue 50
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Dems criticize clerk’s policy on mail-in registration ‘Grace period’ policy treats voters equally, Hulten says BY MATT RICE STAFF WRITER
Champaign County Clerk Gordy Hulten’s handling of the “grace period” of voter registration has drawn criticism from local Democrats. In a press conference Thursday morning, state Sen. Michael Frerichs, D-52; state Rep. Naomi Jakobsson, D-103; and county clerk candidate and Urbana Alderman Charlie Smyth, Ward 1, voiced their disagreement with the Republican’s policy of mailing voter registration documents to voters’ addresses instead of allowing voters to fill in all the necessary forms in person. This policy for grace period registration, or voter registration that occurs after the Oct. 9 deadline, gives county clerks discretion in how they register voters. Frerichs said he thinks Hulten’s policy of mailing registration forms instead of completing the process on-site is intended to prevent voter fraud, but it has made voting more difficult. “I applaud efforts to stop voter fraud, but if suppressing voter fraud means for the very few cases that are out there, there will be scores of people turned away. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do,” Frerichs said. Hulten, however, dismisses claims that his decision suppresses voting as “misinformation.” He said claims about the way he conducts the process are false because “we mail out the application and the ballot on the same day,” which he said is the same process he uses for all residents, even before the grace period. “This is not about preventing voter fraud; it’s about treating someone who registers in October the same as someone who registers in July,” Hulten said. Also in attendance was David Collier, a man from Maryland who recently moved to Urbana and was not allowed to register
KATHY KMONICEK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dave Skudin empties his home of household items destroyed by flooding from Superstorm Sandy on Thursday in Long Beach, N.Y. Three days after Sandy slammed the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, New York and New Jersey struggled to get back on their feet, the U.S. death toll climbed to more than 80. The American Red Cross Club at Illinois will support Sandy disaster relief efforts beginning Friday.
Red Cross aids in Sandy relief »
Local affiliate group gives campus chance to assist BY LAURA SHAY AND EMILY THORNTON DAYTIME ASSISTANT EDITORS
The American Red Cross Club at the University will support Hurricane Sandy disaster relief efforts beginning Friday. Members of the American Red Cross Club will collect monetary donations on the Quad from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day until Wednesday. In addition to donations, the public can help disaster relief efforts through donating blood. According to a Red Cross news release, Hurricane Sandy has already led to the cancellation of about 300
blood drives in affected areas, a loss of up to 10,500 blood and platelet products. Vaneitta Goines, director of the Office of Volunteer Programs, also stressed the importance of blood donations following a disaster of this kind. Goines mentioned that it is often not possible to collect blood quickly enough in the areas affected by events such as Sandy to meet the need due to injuries sustained by local residents. The Red Cross is asking for financial donations to “help the Red Cross provide shelter, food, emotional support and other assistance to those
affected by disasters like Hurricane Sandy,” according to the release. Financial donations can be sent to local chapters of the Red Cross in addition to the American Red Cross. The central Illinois chapter, based in Peoria and Champaign, is also looking to aid in relief efforts. “We are getting a few new volunteers that we are training, many of our volunteers are deploying, and we are also accepting monetary donations,” said Jamie Davis, emergency services coordinator for the chapter. Davis went on to say that the donations also contribute to jumpstarting the economy in these devastated areas. Goines said Red Cross chapters closer to affected areas are able to provide items that are difficult and expensive to ship, such as nonperishable food items.
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More inside: View additional
information on Superstorm Sandy and officials’ plans for minimizing impact of future disasters on Page 3A.
“Cash donations are easier and more financially effective,” Goines said. As of Tuesday night, the Red Cross had more than 2,300 disaster workers serving meals and nearly 200 emergency response vehicles throughout the affected communities distributing meals, water and snacks. To donate, visit redcross.com, text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation or send a donation to your local Red Cross chapter.
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Laura can be reached at lmshay2@ dailyillini.com. Emily can be reached at ethornt2@dailyillini.com
See GRACE PERIOD, Page 3A
Student senator proposes inclusive integrity statement Resolution would cover entire UI community BY CORINNE RUFF STAFF WRITER
In the wake of several scandals at the University over the past year, a student initiative is trying to combat the depreciation of ethics and integrity on campus. “Scandals are a distraction,” said Illinois Student Senator Keenan Kassar, senior in Business. “Our true goal is to have superior academics. We cannot veer off of that or it will affect our academics and our budget.” Kassar founded the registered student organization Students for a Better Illinois, through which he launched a proposal for the creation of a comprehensive integrity statement, inclusive of all students, faculty, administrators and staff. Kassar wrote a resolution for the Illinois Student Senate to propose the idea to campus administration, which passed at the senate’s meeting
ROCHELLE WILSON THE DAILY ILLINI
The Main Library is hosting a Veterans Day exhibit which aims to showcase the history of the University of Illinois and their commitment to the United States military. The exhibit highlights veterans who are alumni of the University and promotes the resources available on campus through the Veteran Students Support Services.
New UI Library exhibit honors veterans at the University of Illinois.” The exhibit is featured on the fi rst floor corridor of the Main Library and is open to the public during the library’s regular hours. The exhibit consists of archived records and pictures of the University’s military connections as well as donated materials from student and alumni veterans and from veterans in the local community. “We asked student veterans if they were willing to donate
BY JACQUI OGRODNIK STAFF WRITER
The University Library is honoring University veterans this month by having an exhibit dedicated to their service. Nicholas Osborne, assistant dean and veteran student support services coordinator; Kevin McLaughlin , senior library specialist; and Michael Hnyla , military instructor, organized a Veterans Day Exhibit titled “Called to Serve: A History of Military Service
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long-term items,” Osborne said. “Other people in the community heard about the project and wanted to participate.” He said he’s received unit patches and rank insignias from numerous veterans on campus and in the local area. One student donated his Purple Heart and damaged uniform from serving in Afghanistan. Students can help create a shared awareness of support by
See VETERANS DAY, Page 3A
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Wednesday. He believes having the University create such a statement would establish fi rm priorities with regards to integrity and set a standard for a “U of I way.” Shravan Gupta , sophomore in Engineering, helped Kassar start Students for a Better Illinois in fall 2011. Gupta said currently, students must adhere to academic integrity through the student code, but there is no statement for faculty, administration and staff. “As students we care about our integrity statements, but there is nothing all-inclusive,” he said. “Nothing applies to all levels of governance and includes (everyone) from students up to the president, holding them accountable for everything they do.” Carey Hawkins-Ash , student senator and graduate student, is a sponsor of the proposal and helped to revise the document. He said he hopes to see a state-
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ment representing the best of the University. “Our campus should have an integrity statement because it sets forth our University position and the reputation of the institution,” he said. “The way I see it is the statement is a declaration to the world of the highest values of the Illinois.” Brock Gebhardt, student body president, said a few other Big Ten universities already have similar statements in place, including Purdue and Ohio State universities. “We’re bettering campus by making sure our university is one that strongly observes integrity and demonstrates a commitment on a regular basis,” he said. “We want to be in line with our peers and demonstrate our commitment to being the university that exemplifies integrity.” With the support of the student senate, Kassar plans to present his proposal to the UrbanaChampaign Senate in the coming months, urging Chancellor Phyllis Wise to appoint a committee to write the statement.
Corinne can be reached at cruff2@ dailyillini.com.
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