Illinois women’s basketball gets set for matchup with Southern Illinois PAGE 1B TUESDAY December 8, 2015
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VP duo’s terms end Wednesday New Illinois Student Senate vice presidents to be sworn in BY SAMANTHA JONES TOAL STAFF WRITER
When asked what Matt Hill’s dream job is, Sarah Hochman jumped in before he could answer. “I bet I could guess,” she said. “Press Secretary of the White House.” Hill l au g h e d in agreement. “And yours is Secretary of Agriculture,” he guessed, correctly. Hill and Hochman have served as the Illinois Student Senate vice presidents — external and internal — respectively, for the past three semesters. The two will officially step-down from their positions on Wednesday due to “unforeseen circumstances and opportunities.” Hill and Hochman announced their resignations in a joint-letter in November. When asked about these opportunities, Hill said that neither of them would be on campus to serve the senate. “We are both finalizing pending opportunities,” Hill said. Whatever opportunities await them next semester, their dream jobs serve as a reflection of their work in the student senate. “I view myself as a connector,” said Hill. Hill said one of his pas-
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sions as vice president was connecting students on campus to the student senate’s work and campaigns. Hochman spoke about her interest in policy — specifically those that could impact a vast majority of people. “The biggest thing for internal (vice president) is to help things run and anticipate needs,” Hochman said. “Before student senate, I knew what hard work was — but really being able to make a difference in others’ lives besides my own — I think that’s really prepared me for any future opportunity.” Hill said Hochman has been a “driving force” in the student senate. Hill and Hochman were both large contributors to the “It’s On Us” sexual assault awareness campaign which drew Vice President Joe Biden to campus in April. “Getting involved in the campaign made us realize you can’t just change a policy, you can’t just change the culture, the two really need to be intertwined to eliminate sexual assault from any college campus,” Hill said. Through the campaign, students continue to pledge to stop sexual assault and policy was passed which now allows victims of sexual assault to take part in their assailant’s hearing. Despite accomplishments, the two also spoke of the challenges that
HELEN ZHOU THE DAILY ILLINI
Rabbi Tiechtel, director of the Illini Chabad, gives a speech before lighting the menorah on Monday. The menorah was lighted for the first time since it was vandalized and repaired at the beginning of the school year. “Adding light to the menorah that was vandalized,” Tiechtel said. “Light in to darkness.”
UIPD compares campus crime rates to national universities BY JOE LONGO STAFF WRITER
The University leads the pack in the amount of aggravated assaults that have occurred on campus when compared with 21 comparable universities, according to a report by University of Illinois Police Department. The UIPD recently released new statistics comparing crime rates from 2014 on campus to rates at similar universities, includ-
ing some Big Ten schools — Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin, Purdue University, University of Iowa, Northwestern University, Pennsylvania State University and Rutgers University. The information comes from the annual Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Statistics Act, which mandates that public universities receiving federal fund-
ing must disclose crime rates and statistics. The University, tied with Rutgers University, had the most occurrences of aggravated assault; Illinois reported nearly double the average of other universities. Both the University and Rutgers University had 20 reported cases of aggravated assault in 2014, compared to an average of about 10.7 assaults. Pat Wade, UIPD spokes-
man, said the statistics provide context for the public about crime information on campus. The report marks the first time the UIPD has publically released a comparison of the University’s statistics to similar universities, following feedback on a Campus Safety Notice this past fall. “We do a really good job of talking about public safe-
SEE CRIME RATES | 3A
UIPD compares crime statistics of 21 universities nationwide Of data collected from the 21 universities , UI compares above average in crime accounts of aggravated assault, robbery and domestic violence, but below average in accounts of burglary. Below are statistics representative of similarly sized universities.
SEE SENATE | 3A
140 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Number of arrests
120
Indiana University Michigan State University
100
University of Wisconsin at Madison Rutgers University
80
University of Minnesota Twin Cities 60 40 20
FLOWER YANG THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois Student Senate vice-presidents Sarah Hochman and Matt Hill discuss what they have done during their time in the Student Senate.
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Aggravated Assault
Robbery
Domestic Violence
Burglary KELSIE TRAVERS THE DAILY ILLINI
SOURCE: University of Illinois Police Department
New background check policy proposed Monday BY CHRISTIN WATKINS STAFF WRITER
A vote by the Academic Senate on Monday urged change in the background check policy that has been a concern since the Board of Trustees postponed its implementation in October. In a 55 to 35 vote, members of the senate passed a resolution proposing that all University employees should be required to complete a background check after receiving a job offer but before the start of their actual employment. The goal of the policy is to protect the campus community, while having a transparent hiring
process which allows for those with criminal backgrounds to feel welcome to apply to University jobs, said Edward Feser, interim provost. Feser emphasized the need for an “individualized assessment for each candidate.” Each hired employee’s background check would look for criminal convictions and be conducted in a way that prevents criminal and racial discrimination, he said. The policy is due to be implemented in January. During the meeting Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson also addressed campus issues of racism
and discrimination. Wilson sent a Massmail on Monday detailing a list of initiatives the University will undertake in the spring semester. The new initiatives come after several vigils and black solidarity rallies were held on the Main Quad in light of the the creation of an ‘Illini White Student Union’ Facebook page. “That anyone on our campus would think it’s appropriate to create such a site is extremely disturbing,” Wilson said in a Massmail in response to the page on Nov. 19. “We
HANNAH AUTEN THE DAILY ILLINI
Interim Chancellor Barbara Wilson listens to attendees speak about various issues at the SEE NEW POLICY | 3A Academic Senate meeting Monday.
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