COLUMN EMMA: Take your safety into your own hands. Don’t rely on other people to not attack you. OPINIONS, 4A
VOLLEYBALL TO HOST FIRST 2 ROUNDS OF NCAA TOURNAMENT
REBUILDING FERGUSON Residents, neighbors come together to show support, love for their home city.
SPORTS, 1B
LIFE & CULTURE, 6A MONDAY December 1, 2014
THE DAILY ILLINI 5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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Veterans center to open Fall 2015 New center will give support to student veterans BY FARAZ MIRZA STAFF WRITER
For Patricia Starks, a veteran deployed in Iraq from 2009 to 2010, it was hard to fi nd common ground with other students when she fi rst came to the University in 2011. “The challenges that I faced as a student veteran were assimilating back into and not knowing too much about the student lifestyle,” said Starks, vice president of Illini Veterans. “Being older and being amongst students who are 18 years old was challenging.” In hopes of better relating to veterans and helping them assimilate into universities, the College of AHS will open a Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education in Fall 2015. The center will focus on providing services to support injured veterans and their families through higher education as they pursue their academic degrees. Though primarily funded by the Chez Family Foundation, the $14 million center also received an undisclosed amount of funding from the state and a number of private donors, said Kyle Kostelecky, director of the center. Kostelecky said the center, which has been in the planning stages for several years, aims to support all those who have been “grievously injured”, while giving them the opportunity to go to school and realize the dream of a career they may have not thought possible. The construction was approved at a Board of Trustees meeting on Jan. 24, 2013. Starks said before the construction for the center began, the University took the fi rst steps toward helping disabled student veterans by constructing a Student Veteran Lounge in the Illini Union basement, where disabled veterans can go to study, relax or talk. Although the lounge currently remains separate from the center, Starks said it has the potential to be combined in the near future. “The center falls under the Applied Health Science college, while the Student Veteran Lounge falls under the Veteran Student Support Services,” Starks said. “I think in the future
University continues engaging veterans
Q The campus is home to over 400 veterans. New veterans can be pairedup to seasoned student veterans through the Vet Connect mentoring program. Q UIUC has been designated as a GI Jobs “Military-Friendly” school for the past three years. Q In the academic year 2012-2013, one-third of undergraduate veterans at the University were named to the Dean’s List. Q UIUC has an active Student Veterans of America Chapter, including the Illini Veterans, which has over 150 active members engaged in a wide array of social and philanthropic activities. Q The Illini Union has a Student Veterans Lounge, a place for veterans to study, interact with other veterans or simply hang out and watch TV. SOURCE: CENTER FOR WOUNDED VETERANS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
what the student veterans would love to see is collaboration and a connection that encompasses it all.” The University, which has been serving students with disabilities since 1948, has been ranked 37th on the Military Times’ 2015 list of “Best for Vets” colleges. Colleges are put on this list based on the accommodations and services they offer to military and veteran students, as well as an assessment of the students’ success rates. Starks, a senior and social media strategist for the Center for Wounded Veterans, said that the idea of the center is to have veterans that are already on campus guide incoming disabled veterans and serve as mentors. “I think the big thing is that it’s a way to connect the student veterans who don’t suffer from any major injuries versus those who are looking to receive a very expensive and severe rehab, to build a relationship among them and a support network,” Starks said. Starks said the Illini Veterans have also raised
BOWL BOUND Beckman receives vote of confidence from AD Thomas
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ith Saturday’s 47-33 win over rival Northwestern in Evanston, Illinois football became bowl eligible for the first time since 2011. Illinois (6-6, 3-5 Big Ten) is likely heading to either the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit or the Heart of Dallas Bowl in Dallas. Both games are Dec. 26. Illinois Athletic Director Mike Thomas also announced Sunday that head coach Tim Beckman would return for the 2015 season. The bowl appearance will
be the team’s fi rst under Beckman after a 2-10 season in 2012 and a 4-8 season last year. “Our student-athletes have played their best football of the season down the stretch of a tough schedule that included nine bowl-eligible opponents,” Thomas said in a press release from the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. “It’s my expectation that with the upcoming bowl and another off-season of development, that Tim’s continued leadership will keep Fighting Illini football
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Due to recent allegations of sexual assault, upcoming performances by popular comedian Bill Cosby were canceled at Champaign’s Virginia Theatre. “This is the first time the theatre has had this type of situation,” said Joe DeLuce, executive director of the Champaign Park District. “The show has been canceled because of the allegations continuing to grow, and it was not appropriate to show him at this time.” So far, 20 women have publicly accused Cosby of sexual assault. The decision was made by the Champaign Park District Board of Commissioners, the executive director of the park district and
director of the Virginia Theatre. Cosby was scheduled to perform two shows on April 11. In the past, DeLuce said the Virginia Theatre has only canceled shows due to a lack of ticket sales. “We feel that by canceling the show, we have said what we need to say,” DeLuce said. Cosby’s alma mater, the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, also cut ties with the comedian, announcing he will no longer be a part of the school’s $300 million fundraising campaign, according to Tribune News Service. Cosby received a Ph.D. in Education from the university in 1977. The Berklee College of Music will no longer award scholarships in Cosby’s name, and he was removed from the board of advisors of High Point University.
Elyssa can be reached at eskaufm2 @dailyillini.com.
Small businesses find Black Friday alternative BY CAMILLE MURRAY
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Virginia Theatre cancels shows due to recent allegations
Comedian Bill Cosby entertains a crowd during a NAACP show at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, in Philadelphia, on July 13, 2004.
The Center for Wounded Veterans in Higher Education on Nevada St., currently under construction, is poised to open in the fall.
0RUH RQOLQH Visit moving forward and even ZZZ 'DLO\,OOLQL FRP more competitive in the conference and nationally.” WR YLHZ WKH HQWLUH SKRWR Illinois beat Penn State JDOOHU\ IURP ,OOLQRLVҋ ZLQ RYHU and Northwestern in con1RUWKZHVWHUQ RQ 6DWXUGD\ secutive weeks to end the season, qualifying for the 0RUH LQVLGH Turn postseason with the win to Page 1B for full over the Wildcats on Saturday. It was Beckman’s first coverage of Illinois’ victory in the Illini’s rival- bowl-clinching win. ry game with Northwestern. Beckman will make $1.9 million next season. He and the seniors who are our is under contract for two leaders,” Beckman said Sunmore seasons. There was day. “We all understand that no mention of a contract this is a work in progress extension in the DIA’s press and that we need to continue release. There was also no moving forward in a posimention of any coaching tive way. I’m very proud of changes among Beckman’s our six wins so far this season and the toughness we assistants. “This is all about our team showed down the stretch.”
Cosby performances canceled
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Illinois' Earnest Thomas III carries the Land of Lincoln trophy after the game against Northwestern at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill. on Saturday. The Illini won 47-33.
While many shoppers fl ocked to big box stores and retail chains this Black Friday, several local businesses offered their own holiday specials. Various shops and services throughout Champaign, Urbana and Savoy launched sales in honor of Black Friday and its online counterpart, Cyber Monday. Shoppers had an assortment of local deals to choose from, including sales and discounts at busi-
nesses such as Art Mart, Checkered Moon, Carle Auxiliary Resale Boutique and Babyland. For some stores, the holiday weekend helped bring larger packs of customers. “Since there’s a lot of families that come together this weekend, the people that come in our store have been in bigger crowds,” said Mahetom Eatoma, a store and warehouse associate at Babyland in Savoy. However, Black Friday isn’t the only day local businesses use to promote
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sales. For many, the days leading up to or following Black Friday have become the main promotional focus, due to competition with bigger stores. “We defi nitely had less
customers,” said Mary Gorman, assistant manager at Briella’s Boutique in Savoy. “It was defi nitely slower in here. I think
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